Arranged
by Kahoko-chan
Summary: ON HIATUS  Princess Levy and Prince Gajeel are getting married to bring their countries together.  But can these two polar opposites be brought together by marriage too?  R&R Please!
1. Meet

Hi again, everyone! So this is the NEWLY FIXED version of Arranged. AS I was writing chapter four, i realized that 1-3 kind of sucked a bit and rewrote them to be better both grammatically and detail-wise. I hope you enjoy the changes (if you even remember what the old version was like...It's been since April or something since I updated this one).

I do not own Fairy Tail. Please R&R, for your comments will keep me motivated. :)

* * *

As they looked at each other, no one in the room was certain who regretted this arranged marriage more: Princess Levy of Magnolia, petite, vibrant and cheerful, or Prince Gajeel of Oak, wild, intimidating, and altogether unfriendly.

Gajeel eyed his prospective bride with disdain. She looked about thirteen-years-old, though he was certain she was at least sixteen, and had bright blue hair and big golden-brown eyes that shined in the light coming in from outside. She was so small and fragile-looking, and in the ceremonial outfit she wore, with its long over-robes, he could not see her body well enough to judge it. He understood what the marriage would do for his country, but this girl was _not_ what he wanted. After all, what fun could he have with a little girl that might break if he looked at her the wrong way?

Levy glanced furtively at Gajeel with a mix of fear and fascination. He looked so wild, with his long, shaggy black hair and his red eyes, and the numerous ritual piercings that adorned his face. Having so many meant he was a highly regarded warrior, that he had slain many men in battle, and that made Levy all the more nervous.

But even Levy wasn't half so nervous as the ministers and bodyguards in attendance for both sides.

"Shall we begin, Your Highness?" whispered Jose, Gajeel's Prime Minister and top advisor.

"Whatever," he grunted under his breath. He turned away from the princess in indignation, leaning back in his chair, slouching informally.

"Excuse me," said a small voice from across the table.

Gajeel sneered. _Even her voice is fragile and small._ He didn't bother to respond.

The voice piped up again. "Idiot Prince!"

Gajeel's head shot up in anger and surprise at the outburst. If the princess' face hadn't turned bright red from the exertion, he never would have believed such a sound had come out of her.

_Idiot? Who does this bitch think she is?_

"What?" asked Levy, turning to her handmaiden Lucy, whose hand had tightened around her wrist under the table. She pulled her hand free and crossed her arms, speaking with smug satisfaction. "He was ignoring me. And besides, he is the one that looked up when I called him an idiot."

Gajeel stood, pushing the table a few inches towards Levy with the motion. His face was a mask of disbelief and rage, but Jose's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Gajeel breathed, calming himself a bit, and settled back into his chair. His expression, however, remained livid.

"Your Highness, I urge you to remain calm," whispered Jose.

"Princess, please stop this," pleaded Lucy as quietly as possible. "Rudeness is so unladylike."

"It s ungentlemanly as well," whispered Levy in return, "but that seems not to be stopping him." She did, however, calm down, and folded her hands on her lap politely. She smiled sweetly up at Gajeel.

"Please forgive me Your Highness," she said softly with a slight bow. Gajeel nodded in reply, more than slightly dumbfounded.

_This girl is evil_, thought Gajeel, as a sense of foreboding ripped through him. _This will not end well_.

_What an idiot_, thought Levy, all her fear and fascination having melted away the instant he opened his mouth to slight her. Her pride had taken over soon after. _This will not end well. At least he's handsome. Wait, did I really just think that? Great, this _really_ will not end well._

It was the worst possible first impression ever.

* * *

It was some time later, and after a few awkward farewells, Levy and her entourage were riding home in their fleet of carriages. Lucy rode with the princess, as per usual.

"Princess," began Lucy, pausing for permission to continue.

"Call me Levy, Luce. We have been together since childhood. We may as well be sisters." Levy smiled warmly at her best friend.

Lucy blushed, but smiled too. "Then, as a sister, I am forced to scold you. His Highness is frightening enough as it is, but if you are rude to him, who knows what he will do to you. He has a very unlovely reputation, I am sure you know. And they say he uses Dragonslayer magic. I just cannot see you get hurt."

"The idiot prince is not a problem, Lucy, I promise. He is the type that needs someone to stand up to him or he just walks all over everyone. At first he was intimidating, I admit, but I have seen his kind before. He will be quite easy to manage, and if I am _very_ lucky, I can avoid him more often than not when we are married." Levy giggled.

Lucy sighed. "There is still time to cancel this, you know. Your father would certainly understand."

"This was my idea in the first place, Luce. To strengthen both our countries, this marriage needs to take place. Oak is a young country, but they are strong. Magnolia is old and proud, but we have not the military might we need in this political climate. War is coming, Lucy, and Oak will need our strong history and wealth, and we will need Oak's strength and fresh ideas. If we plan to survive this, we will need each other completely.

"Oh Levy," said Lucy, full of pride in her mistress. She wondered when her usually light-hearted, demure best friend had become so confident and serious. It suited her well, even though she still looked like a thirteen-year-old.

* * *

Gajeel was brooding in his bedchamber. He was very good at brooding. A pro at it, some might say. Upon returning to the inner castle, to his expansive bedchamber, he had shouted for all his servants to go away; they did so immediately, being accustomed to their master's foul mood swings.

And now Gajeel sat, pondering his future and the decision his advisor had advised him to make. He had agreed to the marriage, understanding, as certainly his bride did, that both countries needed each other. Wars were popping up all over the continent, so it was better to ally themselves now. But what he had not expected was the princess to be a tiny spitfire; from all accounts of her, she was a very proper, cheerful, beautiful young woman. And while he did admit she was pretty, at least in the face, since her body had been hidden beneath that unflattering robe, proper and cheerful were not words he would have chosen. Sarcastic and evil, maybe, but not proper and cheerful.

However, he was resigned to this. With his father's recent passing, this marriage was absolutely necessary to bring stability to his country, and to prove to his people he was reliable. His coronation was coming in a week's time, and he wanted to present Princess Levy to his people on that day in hopes they would love her as her own people seemed to. And while he did not necessarily care for such things, he was raised to know what was best to keep himself in power and his own head firmly on his shoulders.

So no matter how he felt, nor how miserable his future was going to be, he had to marry Princess levy. Somehow, he would break her. Somehow he would retaliate for the humiliation she dished out at their meeting. Somehow he would make her bow to him.

* * *

So I think it's a little better than the original chapter one. Hope fully my thinking is correct.

Till next time!


	2. Farewells

Rewritten chapter 2 here! Again, much better than the original chapter. I hope you enjoy this. I am having a lot of fun working on this one again.

* * *

Two days after their first meeting, Levy received an invitation to visit Gajeel's palace in Oak for an extended time so she could not only attend his coronation, but also so she could get a feel for the palace grounds and halls. She was going to be living there within a year after all.

Levy had been nervous enough at the neutral location they had chosen for their first meeting, along the border between their two countries, but to be going to Oak for such an extended time, to be away from her dear family, made her more nervous. Suddenly, the personal implications of the marriage hit her. She had not even thought about having to leave her family and her home, the only place she had ever really known.

She read the invitation again and sighed, but readily agreed, calling for her calligrapher to draft a formal reply. She was set to leave the next day and would be gone for two weeks. So first, there were a few things at home she needed to settle.

Number one on her list was to bid farewell to her parents, the current King and Queen. She would say goodbye to her younger twin brothers, Jet and Droy, in the morning. Levy skipped through the halls of her castle, knowing it was probably the last time she would be able to do so, taking it all in. She stopped just down the hall from her father's study and smoothed out her gown, hoping her romp had not wrinkled the fabric. Slowly, gracefully, she walked towards the study, in front of which stood two massive guards.

"Elfman, Nab, is my father in?" she asked cheerfully. The study was the most likely place he would be, and so she came here first. Her assumption was proved correct.

"Yes Your Highness," said Nab, stepping aside, opening the door for her.

"My Princess, we'll take care of that prince if you ever need us to," said Elfman suddenly, grinning widely, his admiration for her showing in his eyes. Nab smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You guys are the best," said Levy, flashing them her most heavenly smile.

From inside the study came an insistent throat-clearing noise and Nab and Elfman snapped back into position, but not before Elfman winked at Levy. She chuckled and darted into the study, where her father and mother both sat waiting.

King Makarov of Magnolia sat at his desk, rummaging through the drawers for something to write with, and Queen Porlyusica sat on the green, velvety couch by the fireplace, reading a novel. When Levy was little, she used to sit in this room with her mother and father; the King would work and smile as he listened to his wife reading aloud to the small princess, developing her deep love for books from such an early age. Levy had not sat with her mother for a long time, but she felt the sudden need to.

She plopped down on the end of the couch like a little girl, curling up against its high arms, dipping her legs beneath her mother's blanket. As if on cue, her mother began to read aloud from her book, filling the room with memories. King Makarov stopped his rummaging and listened, his expression shifting to one of fond remembrance. The story did not matter, nor did the words; this was the last time they were going to be together like this. Jet and Droy were not as close to their parents as Levy had always been, and the King and Queen knew this was their last chance to see their darling girl in such a way. Soon she would be married, eventually having children, running her own household in another kingdom. They all wanted to savor this innocent family feeling for as long as they could.

Levy fell asleep after a while, the stress of the day and the lateness of the hour finally making her succumb to exhaustion. King Makarov used his magic and grew to a huge height, allowing him to pick up his daughter with ease and trudge through the castle to her bedroom. He laid her down and kissed her forehead and called Elfman and Nab to keep watch at her door.

Then he wandered to the next door where Lucy Heartphilia, Levy's handmaiden, stayed. He knocked politely, and at her urging, entered.

"Oh, Your Majesty," said Lucy, clearly startled. She had been expecting Levy. She stood and bowed deeply.

"Stand up dear, do not be so formal." He shook his hand in front of her face, dismissing her stiffness.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. How might I be of service to you this evening?" This was the first time the king had ever approached her directly, so she was nervous. She caught herself shaking a little bit, and grew stiff again, trying to calm her nerves.

"I have a simple request. You will accompany Levy tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good, good. When she is at the palace in Oak, if anything happens, anything at all, it is your duty to report it to me. You have known her long enough to know when she is hiding her unhappiness, and I fear there may be much of that in the time to come. Tell me if anything seems off about her. I will cancel the marriage in a heartbeat if it will spare her any grief, consequences be damned."

Lucy smiled, wishing secretly her own father was this sort of man instead of the domineering maniac that he was. "Of course, Your Majesty. I assure you, princess levy will be well looked-after."

"Good," he nodded. "Now, off to bed with you. You have a long day tomorrow as well."

"Yes. Thank you, Your Majesty." Lucy bowed again as Makarov left. She vowed to herself then and there that she would keep Levy from any harm, no matter what.

* * *

They set out the next morning, earlier than either Levy or Lucy would have liked. The ride was swift and over good soil, the half day the trip took passing quickly. The scenery between Magnolia and Oak was beautiful, especially in oak, which was mostly forest. Trees were just beginning to bud, and the first of the spring flowers were beginning to blossom after the harsh winter. It gave hope.

They arrived at the palace just after noon. Levy marveled at the enormous building in front of her. Her home had been a castle, all stone and drafts and candlelight, and though she loved every inch of it, it was dark and sometimes dreary. Oak's palace was light and open with great tall windows after the newest of architectural fashions. Upon entering, she saw it was more like a formal country house, or several of them, considering its size, than like a castle. The newer design of it certainly showed Oak's youth as a nation, but Levy looked past that. She fell in love with the place instantly.

Before any of them had a chance to look around, they were whisked away to their rooms by a fleet of menservants. They also brought Levy's many bags and boxes, containing her garments and supplies, so her own small group of servants had very little to do. The butler slipped Levy a folded note as his men finished and retreated from the princess' bedchamber. Levy opened it and read it aloud to Lucy, who was to share Levy's room to be at an easier distance should her mistress require anything.

_Princess Levy,_

_It would be my great honor if you would join me for some late supper in the dining room at 7:00 this evening. I am tending to some affairs of state or I would have met you upon your arrival. One of my men will show you the way tonight if your journey has not tired you too much to join me._

_Hoping you had a comfortable journey,_

_Gajeel Redfox_

"How much do you want to bet he did not write this himself?" asked Levy.

"Of course he did not write it, Levy," said Lucy. "No man's handwriting is so clean and neat."

"How much do you want to bet he did not dictate this to someone with better handwriting then?" a=offered Levy.

Lucy laughed. "Come on, Levy, it is sweet. Even if it is someone else's words, it is his sentiment. At least he is trying."

Levy sighed. "Aye, I will grant him that. And I suppose I will be hungry by then. Our short picnic in the carriage should tide me over until then. And I am interested to see what sort of table that barbarian keeps."

"Oh Levy."

* * *

Hahaha snarky Levy.

Till next time!


	3. Dinner

Rewritten chapter 3 here! As always, please R&R. I love all of my beautiful readers and reviewers!

* * *

Gajeel waited at the dinner table as patiently as he could, which was not very patiently at all. He had already managed to eat three forks and a spoon, and it was not yet quarter to seven.

"Your Highness, if you eat anymore silverware, there may not be enough for your guest," warned Mirajane, Gajeel's Head of Household Staff. She had treated him like a little brother since his mother's passing ten years before, though she made for a frightening elder sister sometimes. She spoke to him in whatever tone she chose, and he did not dare argue because she had inner demons aplenty, and he was a little scared of her.

"Who says she is actually going to show up?" he asked gruffly.

"Her handmaiden reported to me an hour ago that the princess would be coming."

Gajeel straightened himself in his chair. He had half hoped she would avoid him so he could have dinner in peace. He enjoyed fighting and he enjoyed food, but he did not enjoy them together. And the thought of having to make small talk and to entertain someone so disposed against him made his head hurt.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Levy McGarden of Magnolia," said the butler, who stood at the door, introducing her as she entered the room. Mirajane and the waiters bowed deeply. Gajeel stood in deference to his guest, but nearly fell back into his seat at the sight of her.

Any worries he had about her figure were instantly dispelled. She came into the room wearing an all-white evening gown, tight and tastefully ruched at her bust and at her shoulders, flowing down across her torso like water, flaring out at the bottom, covering her feet and dragging slightly behind her. It was made of silk and atop it was sewn a fine gossamer that swished as her ample hips, which Gajeel's attention was most directed to, moved side to side. Her hair was drawn up loosely atop her head, her bangs held back by a white headband adorned with a single fabric daisy. In short, she was breathtaking.

One of the servants pulled out her chair for her and she sat gracefully, smiling widely and thanking the blushing man for his assistance. She turned to Gajeel, who sat, watching her.

"Good evening, Your Highness," she said softly, from the opposite end of the table. All hints of sarcasm and ill humor were gone from her tone, leaving behind the sweet girl Gajeel had expected at their first meeting.

"G-good evening," replied Gajeel, stumbling over his words as he was still confused. He had been geared up for a fight, and now his brain could not process the fact there would be no fight.

"I am grateful for the invitation to dinner, Sir," said Levy. "Though I see you may have begun before me." She eyed the half-eaten fork at his place setting.

Mirajane quickly took the fork from the table and stuffed it into one of her apron's pockets. Just as swiftly, she replaced it with a fresh one.

"I had heard the rumors you use the magic of an Iron Dragonslayer, but I had no idea metal was part of the menu," said Levy with a small chuckle. Gajeel eyed her suspiciously, sensing she was trying to rile him, but there was no malice in her tone or her looks.

"It is not on _your_ menu, Milady," said Gajeel, having the decency to be embarrassed. "Mirajane, what are you serving tonight?"

"Your Highness," she said to Levy, "tonight, we are serving braised lamb with roasted potatoes and a salad of baby greens. I understand from your servants that this is a meal you have enjoyed before."

"Oh yes, very much! Thank you," said Levy, smiling again.

Gajeel wondered if that brilliant smile, the one that showed her true gratefulness, would ever be directed at him, or if it was the one she reserved for the servants. He could not help wanting to be on the receiving end of that little piece of sunshine, despite the fact he was still unsure of her. She seemed changed, for certain, that did not mean they would actually get along.

"So tell me about yourself," said Levy suddenly. It took Gajeel a moment to break from his own thoughts and realize her attention had switched to him.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything you will tell me, I suppose. If we are to be married, I should know more about you, should I not?"

"I suppose," began Gajeel. "I am twenty-years-old. My parents are dead. I eat metal."

"Is that all?" Levy laughed, but quickly stopped when his serious demeanor did not change. It was not a joke. Either he had no more to tell or he was uncomfortable sharing anything more. "I guess I shall have to find out about you myself."

"I guess so. And you? Tell me about yourself."

"All right. I am seventeen-years-old." Gajeel was surprised by this, but said nothing. "Both of my parents are alive, though my father gets sick sometimes when he overexerts himself. I use magic called Solid Script, which allows me to call into being anything I write…"

"That sounds handy," interrupted Gajeel. "So if you write 'sword', a sword appears?"

"Basically," she said nodding.

"That sounds pretty cool." He took a large bite of lamb from the plate which had just been set before him. Mid-chew he looked up, feeling Levy's eyes boring holes into his head. He realized he was hunched over, smacking his lips together. He straightened instantly and coughed in embarrassment, making sure his eyed did not meet hers. He would have seen her smile amusedly and adoringly had he bothered to look at her.

"I am glad you approve," said Levy. She continued speaking about herself. "I love to read more than anything else in the world. And I may regret speaking so rudely to you the other day. It was uncalled for and I am sorry."

On the inside, Levy was screaming at herself. If Lucy had not pleaded and pleaded with her to apologize, she never would have. She still had no reason to really like this man, though dinner had gone well so far. It was strange to her that she did not immediately strive to be friendly with him. She was friendly with _everyone_, no matter how they had wronged her. But Gajeel was different. Something about him made her want to argue with him.

Gajeel felt just as confused. Three days ago he had vowed to break her, to make her bend to him, yet here she was apologizing of her own will. It was like she was taunting him all over again, destroying his resolution just as he had made it.

They ate in silence and parted for the evening in the same manner. Neither was any more certain about the other, but at least they had managed to talk to each other like civilized people. And that had to speak of progress.

* * *

New people start showing up next chapter. Next chapter also, is a NEW one.

Till next time!


	4. Gala

The first of the new chapters! Huzzah for updates! R&R is welcome! Most welcome, in fact!

* * *

Gajeel spent the next few days surrounded by advisors and planners, preparing for his coronation. He was sure, or at least Mirajane was sure, to always send Levy an apology at not being able to take meals with her, but really, Levy did not mind. She enjoyed her free time, and spent it exploring the ground with Lucy. They walked the great sweeping courtyards, the beautiful gardens, the tall, arched hallways that gleamed in the natural light that streamed in. And while the grounds were lovely, it was the small, private garden just outside her suite that Levy fell in love with.

At the center of it was a simple wooden bench that was old and weathered. Behind it began an archway of latticework, which met the ground on the opposite side of the path; fragrant, purple wisteria hung from it almost like a curtain, perfuming the air, and hiding Levy from view as she sat on the bench. It was quiet here, and peaceful, and besides Lucy's occasional company, it was hers alone.

Often, she would sit cross-legged on the bench, her delicate shoes discarded somewhere, and she would read from morning till sundown. Or, if Lucy joined her, they would talk and laugh and pretend they had not a care in the world.

* * *

Of course, that al ended five days later as the guests began to arrive for the coronation. The palace was so busy, so suddenly full of life, it was hard to get a moment to oneself. Levy was excited, however, for she knew some of the guests, some of the dignitaries from the other countries allied with Magnolia and Oak.

Levy sat at Gajeel's side in the throne room on the day of everyone's arrival, Lucy at her right, Jose at Gajeel's left. They were all dressed in their very finest; even Gajeel's hair had been tamed. Levy admitted silently that she liked it a little wild better.

One of the first guests to arrive was Natsu Dragneel, Duke of Hargeon, one of King Makarov's most trusted men, accompanied by his little sister Wendy and their two cats, Happy and Charle. Levy had grown up with Natsu, and she often thought of Wendy as her own little sister. She was happy to see them, and told them so.

"Miss Levy, I missed you," said Wendy, curtseying sweetly.

"_Princess_, Wendy. It's _Princess_ Levy," reminded Natsu.

"Oh, I am sorry," said Wendy, turning bright red.

"Wendy, dear, think nothing of it. You may call me whatever you wish," reassured Levy, smiling brightly at the young girl.

"Come Wendy," said Natsu. "Your Highness, congratulations on your coronation, and on your upcoming marriage." He and Wendy bowed deeply and were ushered to their rooms by the servants.

"Your countrymen are very polite," said Gajeel quietly to Levy.

"Who, Natsu? He was only showing off in front of Lucy," said Levy, pointing to her handmaiden. "Natsu is the biggest practical joker and general purveyor of annoyance you will ever meet. But he has been madly in love with Lucy since we were children."

"With a servant girl?"

"Of course. Is there something wrong with that?" Levy suddenly remembered the story of Cinderella, and wondered how a prince in real life could be so vastly different from the one in the storybook. "Besides," she added, "Lucy is a duchess. Her family have been retainers for mine for generations, and so they were titled and given large tracts of land in the southeast of Magnolia."

"Oh," replied Gajeel stupidly. He kept his comments to a minimum during the rest of the greeting period, watching his future bride win over each and every guest with her brilliant smile and her kind words. He was quite impressed with her ease of conversation and intelligence. She would certainly be good for him from a political standpoint.

* * *

That night there was a grand reception for all the guests. The palace ballroom was bedecked with gold and white, all aglow with bright candlelight. Tables were set up around the edges of the room, leaving space in the center for dancing.

Everyone ate first, Levy next to Gajeel at the head table, surrounded on either side by their closest allies. Dinner was pleasant and Levy made new friends in Gray Fullbuster and his companion Juvia Lockser. Gray was friendly in a general sort of way, and Juvia was sweet, always referring to herself by her own name, and ranting endlessly about Gray. Levy found out that gray did ice magic, and Juvia used water magic; when she told Juvia they made a great pair because of the similarity in their magic, Juvia hugged her emotionally, tears of happiness streaming down her face. She and Lucy and Levy were inseparable until the dancing began.

Levy was certain she and Gajeel would dance at some time during the evening, as they were engaged to be married, but she had expected him to put it off till the very end, preferring to dance with the noblewomen form his own country first. She was surprised then, when he stood at the end of their meal and proffered his hand to her.

"Princess, may I have this dance?" he asked so suavely that Levy actually blushed.

"You may, Sir," she replied. Gajeel pulled her up with ease, and led her around the table to the dance floor.

At the corner of the room, the musicians ceased their repertoire of background songs, and began to play music to dance to. If Levy was shocked at Gajeel's dancing ability, she said nothing, though her heart was pounding inside her chest. Gajeel led her around the dance floor elegantly, his skill exceeding even her own; she had not expected him to be so well rehearsed. She was beginning to see that all of her expectations of him were being thrown out the window, one by one.

When the music stopped, it took both of them a moment to realize it was time to stop dancing. They parted then, blushing slightly; Gajeel moved to ask Juvia, who he knew quite well, to dance, while Natsu stood for Levy's hand.

The night swept on, and eventually the guests began to leave one by one for their bedchambers. Levy gave Lucy the rest of the night to herself, knowing her friend had been preparing all day and was terribly tired. Lucy agreed to have Natsu escort her, which he did after giving a look of pure gratitude to Levy.

Soon, only Gajeel and Levy were left in the ballroom. The musicians had long since gone back to town, and the servants had not yet come to clear up at Mirajane's order; she wanted Gajeel and Levy to have a moment alone after the sparks she had witnessed between them during their dance. She prayed one of the sparks would ignite into the flame of love, for she was a bit of a schemer, and Gajeel and Levy were the unknowing victims of her newest plot. They would be married no matter what, but she wanted them both to be happy about it.

"What a lovely evening," said Levy, taking a sip of her water. "I have not had so much fun in a long time." She smiled warmly at Gajeel. The smile quickly turned into a long yawn. "Oh, excuse me."

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself," said Gajeel in his usual gruff manner.

"Does that mean you did _not_ enjoy the evening?" she asked, eyeing him. She remembered him laughing loudly, and somewhat drunkenly, towards the middle of the evening at some of Natsu and Gray's antics. Natsu and Gray had been seated across from each other and had formed a sort of friendly rivalry within the first ten minutes of their conversation.

"In general, I do not enjoy being around that many people. I prefer being alone or with one or two people."

"Are you uncomfortable in crowds?"

"No, I just dislike them. I have little in common with most people, so it is difficult to be amongst them."

"Well," said Levy, moving closer to Gajeel, "I appreciate the honesty, but we are going to have to break you of that. A good leader needs to be comfortable around people so he can lead his people."

"I have you for that," he murmured. Levy was close enough, she managed to hear him and had to hide her smile.

"Your Highness, I thank you for a lovely evening. And now I am off to bed. Would you be so kind as to escort me to my chamber?"

"Y-yes, of course. Come," he said, extending his hand to her for the second time that night. She took it gladly, felt the warmth of him.

"You are so cold," said Gajeel, suddenly looking at her. "Is that normal?"

"Oh, yes. I am always very cold." It was true, too. Levy had been anemic all her life and was so small that she froze, even in summer. Enough blankets and she was fine, but she woke every morning with cold feet no matter how bundled up she was.

"Is your chamber warm enough? Do you have enough blankets?"

Levy smiled at his worry and reassured him she was all right. He nodded and extended his elbow, around which she slipped her arm, and led her through the halls to her bedchamber. At her door he kissed the top of her hand and bade her goodnight and walked to his own bedchamber with a grin on his face.

* * *

Yes, Pantherlily will show up in this story. Since Happy and Charle are in it, Lily, DEFINITELY has to be. He will come in later though, in kind of a special way. So do not fret, our favorite cat is coming soon!

Till next Time!


	5. Warm

This one is kind of a long one, so I hope you like it. I should have chapter 6 up tomorrow (or later today rather, since it's 5 am in my time zone). Chapter 6 will be the coronation now that everyone is in Oak to celebrate it. Please don't hate me for this chapter. Things are going to go up and down a lot in this story (drama-wise anyways), so please be prepared for a crazy roller-coaster ride! It should be quite fun.

* * *

Levy leaned up against the inside of her door, arms wrapped around herself, the crook of her elbow, where it had met his, still tingling from his warmth. She smacked her cheeks a couple of times to wake herself up from her daze, not realizing she was deepening her own blush.

She quickly peeled away her eveningwear, untying her corset after a short struggle to reach the laces, loosening the ribbons until she could breathe again. That certainly helped her condition, but she found she was still warm and still a little short of breath, even as she shed the rest of her clothing and slipped into her light nightgown, which Lucy had laid out across her bed.

_Oh, I need some air_, Levy thought, feeling very warm all throughout her entire body. She had never felt so warm before in her life.

Careful not to wake Lucy, who was asleep on the other bed in the corner of the room, Levy opened the doors that led to her private garden and stepped outside into the cool spring night air. She wound her way around the paths to her bench and breathed deep the wisteria, letting the light breeze wash over her. Her white gown shone in the moonlight, becoming slightly translucent, but Levy did not notice. Her eyes were closed tight and she breathed in the air, honeysweet with the aromas of flowers.

After a while, she fell asleep there. Lucy would have been horrified, open to attack as she was in such an open place; even Gajeel might have argued in fear for her safety, considering that not everyone amongst the guests was happy about their forthcoming marriage. Gajeel's countrymen still had hopes of marrying their daughters to him.

Gajeel walked around the patio outside his second story window, and by chance something white caught his eye. He looked again, and with his keen Dragonslayer senses, saw that it was Levy, curled up in a ball on the bench in his mother's private garden. At first he was nervous, worried she might have been sick and had collapsed there. But as he listened, he heard her breathing was even and he realized she was asleep.

He snorted, becoming suddenly angry that she could leave herself so open like that. If _he_ was out on his balcony, someone else could just as easily be. Gajeel did not realize it at the time, but the smallest seed of jealousy was beginning to rise in his stomach at the thought of someone else seeing her in so vulnerable a state.

And then he remembered their conversation.

_She must be freezing out here_.

Without thinking, Gajeel darted back into his bedroom, grabbed a blanket, and then came back out onto the balcony. He bundled the blanket into a manageable ball, tucked it under one arm, and jumped over the edge of the balcony onto the top of the wall not too far below. Making sure no one was outside watching, he darted stealthily through the night, across the top of the wall, which surrounded each of the private yards outside the first floor bedchambers.

When he reached the wall that surrounded his mother's garden, he jumped down into the corner, where darkness hid him. He waited until he was sure Levy had not heard him, and inwardly wanted to smack her.

_She is a heavy sleeper, and still she is stupid enough to sleep outside. When we are married, I am going to have to keep a close eye on her. The little fool will get herself kidnapped in a matter of hours._

Gajeel darted over to her, stepping as lightly as he could. He stared down at her, watching her hair blow gently across her cheek, watching as the wind blew her gown against her body, accentuating her curv…

_Holy shit, she is stark nude under that gown. Under that flimsy, see-through gown. Oh shit…_

Gajeel threw the blanket over her body and retreated quickly, unconcerned about the noise he made. He was out of there and over the wall by the time Levy opened her eyes, roused by the sudden footsteps and the pressure of a thick blanket on top of her.

She sat up lazily, rubbing her eyes and looking around for the source of the sounds that had woken her. No one was around, and she was content to go back to sleep, but then she saw the blanket and she sat up again, a little more awake. She knew she had not brought it out with her. In fact, she had never seen this blanket before. It certainly did not fit the décor of her bedchamber, nor had Lucy brought it from Magnolia.

"Hmm. I wonder where this came from," Levy said to herself. She picked it up and stood up, trudging back towards her bedchamber. She stared at the black blanket, feeling its softness between her fingers, half stumbling back into her room. She was still mostly asleep, and when she reached her bed, she collapsed onto it, wrapping the black blanket around her, and fell asleep again.

* * *

Levy woke again a few hours later at Lucy's insistence. Her blonde friend was standing over her, shaking her shoulders, trying to wake her.

"Princess," said Lucy. "Levy," she said a little louder. "Levy! Get up this instant!"

"Huh?" asked Levy, shooting up in bed, a confused look on her face. "Oh, Luce. Good morning."

"Good morning yourself. Are you feeling all right, though? You normally wake up right away in the morning because your feet are so cold."

"Cold? My feet are really warm right now. Hmm. That _is_ odd." Levy sat up completely, threw her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Would you like some breakfast?" asked Lucy, smiling now she knew Levy was all right.

"That sounds nice," said Levy. She was in an extraordinarily good mood this morning, which she attributed to waking up with warm feet. Still, though, she wondered where that magical blanket had come from.

"I shall go to the kitchens and see what is on offer then. Wait here and I will bring you some tea."

Lucy went to the door and shrieked suddenly as she opened it. Standing outside the room was Gajeel, already fully dressed, though looking a little worse for wear. Lucy bowed immediately.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," said Lucy loudly to warn Levy of his presence, "I did not know you were there."

"It is nothing," said Gajeel, waving away her apologies. "I assume by your tone that Princess Levy is awake."

"Yes, Your Highness, though she is not yet prepared to face the day," said Lucy, hinting delicately that Levy was in a state of undress and not fit to be seen. Gajeel did not take the hint.

"Well go on and get her tea then. We have matters to discuss." He pushed past Lucy, entering the room. Lucy waved her hands at Levy and looked at her apologetically, but Levy, who had pulled her blanket up around her, just waved her friend on. Lucy sighed and left after Levy's morning tea.

"You needed something?" asked Levy in an unhappy tone. Gajeel stopped where he was and stared at her in confusion.

_Why is _she_ angry? I should be the one who is upset with her._ Then he saw her and understood. _That is what the blonde girl meant, then. Damn it all…_

"Yes, we need to talk," he said resolutely, avoiding looking at her.

"About?" She was starting to get really angry. Not only did he barge in on her when she was in her nightgown, but he had not the decency to even appreciate the view. _Oh no, I did _not_ just think that._ She shook her head and stared at him angrily again.

"Last night, you were outside. Sleeping outside, I mean. And that is not exactly safe." He stumbled over his words.

"No, I suppose not," agreed Levy, still glaring at him. "But does this admonition really merit barging into my room early in the morning before I have had a chance to make myself decent?"

"Yes," he said suddenly and loudly. "With so many people here, you could have been kidnapped or hurt! Not everyone likes you, you know! Your charming girl routine only works on the ones who are all right with our marriage. There are still too many people opposed to it for you to be so careless!"

"Charming girl routine? Excuse me?" She stood then, still clutching the blanket to herself with one hand. Levy stomped over to him, got as close to his face as her tiny stature would allow, and shoved a finger into his chest. Her subconscious registered how absolutely rock hard his muscle was there, but she was too angry to register it consciously.

"Yes, charming girl routine! The first time I met you, I saw your true personality, that evil, snide little girl that was so rude. Then you come back all charming and sweet, just playing around with me. Can you tell me otherwise? You may have everyone else fooled, but I know what you really are!"

Levy's eyes began to fill with tears. She tried hard, but she knew they would spill over soon. She had to get one last statement in before they did; she would not forgive herself if she cried in front of this moron.

"And you, Gajeel Redfox," she said, ignoring any sort of formality, "are a selfish, stupid, idiotic, moronic, dumb, foolish, _piece of shit_! How dare you attack _my_ character, when _yours_ is the one that needs the work! You yell at me, you ignore me, you tease me with your kind words, and then you accuse me of trying to fool everyone into thinking I am a sweet girl! Well, I _am_ a sweet girl! _You_ just bring out the worst in people! Now get out of my room!"

Gajeel stared for a moment, his eyes as wide as they could possibly be.

_This tiny little bitch called me a piece of shit? A piece of shit. Me. After I covered her up last night? After I came to warn her this morning about the dangers of sleeping outside, in the open, where people could hurt her? What the hell is wrong with this woman?_

"Good day madam," was all he said, and then he left, slamming the door to her bedchamber behind him.

Levy collapsed in a heap onto the floor, sobbing loudly into the black blanket. She shivered all over as the sobs racked her entire body. She grew suddenly cold. Even with the blanket that had kept her so warm last night, she was so very cold.

* * *

Like I said, please don't hate me. If you've read my other fic, Freaking Adorable, you know what pain I am capable of inflicting. But remember what I said, this is going to be a FUN roller-coaster.

Till next time!


	6. Coronation

Okay, here's the coronation. For the ceremony itself, I took from the UK way of doing it and changed it up to suit the magical world these folks inhabit. I hope it all makes sense. Also, with some of the oils I mention, I took a couple of liberties, expanding their uses to suit the story, though in a general sense, they are still correct.

Please R&R and tell me what you like and what you hate! You guys are the best when it comes to giving real constructive criticism, and I appreciate that more than anything. Also, if I have the time, I may be drawing some of Levy's outfits that I'm describing in these chapters. I'll post a link to my dA page if I finish the sketches.

I do not own Fairy Tail (still). Too bad for me.

* * *

Levy begged Lucy not to tell her father. Whatever had happened between Gajeel and her that morning had not ended in a broken marriage contract, only a broken heart, and that was nothing she had not already expected. What confused her was just how upset it made her. After last night, their beautiful dance, and his kind words of concern, she had begun to believe they could actually make this work. If only they remembered to stay civil to each other, they might grow in time to like one another enough that being civil would come naturally. That was all she had really hoped for.

But now it was ruined. His temper had come out and so had hers; she had never been so loud or so absolutely rude in her life. It was so unlike her, she just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Of course she was mad at him for his behavior, but she knew that the fight was partly her fault as well. As she replayed his words in her head, they started to make sense, though his tone kept her from forgiving him then and there. It was true she should not have been sleeping outside, and it was true she had been rude to him during their first meeting, but that was only because he had been rude to her too.

"Charming girl routine indeed," said Lucy, interrupting Levy's thoughts. Lucy bustled around her princess, dressing her for the coronation. The grand event was only two hours away and Lucy still had to hide Levy's puffy red eyes with makeup and pin up her hair in a way that would match the elegance of the gown she was to wear tonight. The gown was white from the deep curve of its neck to just under her bust, where it met a dark brown ribbon detailed with an intricate pattern of magnolias. From there the dress was pale yellow satin, flowing unstructured to the floor, hiding her tiny golden shoes.

Lucy pinned Levy's hair up loosely, allowing long strands to fall across her shoulders, curl in front of her ears. Into her hair she pinned one large, live magnolia, which she had stolen from a tree in the courtyard at Levy's request. Well in fact, Natsu had stolen it at Lucy's request since he had happened upon her and would not allow her to climb the tree herself. He had picked one for Lucy too, and she had blushed and thanked him, but hurried away to her mistress before anything further could happen between them.

"There now, let me look at you," said Lucy after the applying the final flourish to Levy's lips. Levy stood slowly, unbalanced on her feet as she was in her heart. Lucy spun her mistress around, eyeing her critically. At last, she smiled, satisfied with her work.

"Luce, I…"

"If you even begin to tell me you are skipping the coronation, I am going to pack up all your things and drag you home to your father this instant. Princess, did you not tell me he would be easy to manage? That you had seen his type before?"

"Yes, I did…"

"Then manage him. Pretend like the fight never happened. Confuse him with your smiles, with your easy manner! Win over everyone who is opposed to your marriage and give him no choice but to want you!"

Levy could tell her friend was a woman on a mission and that mission was _her_. She smiled suddenly at Lucy, steeling her resolve.

_Of course I have to fight for this. When did I become so whiny? This was all my decision, and I cannot go back on it now. I made a promise to myself and to my people that I would protect them by any means necessary, and marrying Gajeel and allying our nations are those means. _

"Lucy, let us be off. It is time to attend a coronation."

* * *

Gajeel stared at himself in the mirror. On his forehead was a dark red mark where the heels of his hands had rested for the past hour. He was nervous, and not about the coronation. After explaining his morning outburst to Jose, who had heard about it from servants passing by, Gajeel had been advised that he might have been too harsh on the princess.

"She seems to be of a delicate constitution," Jose had said. "I hope she did not spend the day in tears."

"I was trying to keep her safe, but she just…"

"Your Highness, you accused her of lying to you about her character. Someone like Princess Levy, with a naturally sweet temperament, would be affronted by such a claim. I fear she may have been correct in saying you bring out the worst in her."

Gajeel had stared up at Jose then from his seated position, a threat to mind his tongue clear in his eyes. Jose had bowed and removed himself from Gajeel's dressing room, leaving the servants to prepare the prince.

And then Gajeel had dropped his forehead onto his palms, unsure of how to proceed with the princess situation. He had no previous experience with women, being focused on his country and learning how to take over for his ailing father all his life. And he certainly had no experience with love or marriage or anything of the kind. He considered briefly speaking about the problem to Mirajane, who he was certain would have an answer for him, but he quickly dismissed that plan, not liking the idea of her teasing him relentlessly for the next year about it.

He would have to go it alone and pray he could learn how to speak to her without sending her into fits of crying. Or fits of unspeakable rage.

"Your Highness, it is time," said his butler, entering the dressing room, which was built just off the throne room for the purpose of these types of days.

"Yes, I know," said Gajeel as he stood, letting out a long breath he had not realized he was holding. "Let us begin."

Gajeel left the dressing room and walked directly onto the platform where his throne was located. As he had been taught during numerous rehearsals, he stood in front of the throne, bowed to his audience, all seated in front of him, and then took his seat. Then he saw Levy. He could smell the salt on her from recent tears, but he noted she had composed herself well and was now smiling at him softly from the front row. He also noted that even despite her tears, she looked more beautiful now than he had ever seen her.

The High Mage of Oak stepped forward to begin the ceremony by going first to the eastern side of the room, then the south, then west, then north, asking the attendees in general if they were willing to give fealty. When all replied in the affirmative, the High Mage recited the Oath of Kings, which Gajeel repeated flawlessly; it had been drilled into his head so many times there was no way possible he would forget it.

Next, the High Mage's two attendants brought him three small jars of scented oil; with the amber oil, the High Mage anointed Gajeel's forehead, promoting strength of mind; with the silver fir oil, the High Mage anointed Gajeel's chest, for restoration and rejuvenation of spirit; and with the oil of geranium, the High Mage anointed each of Gajeel's palms, to strengthen his inner balance as well as his sense of fairness.

Thus anointed, Gajeel's hands each received an orb. In his right, one of the High mage's attendants placed a glass orb, symbolizing clarity of judgment and in his left, the other attendant placed an orb of steel, symbolizing strength of will. Gajeel hated himself for it, but as he held the steel orb, he realized how hungry he was.

Then, the High mage took the coronation crown, a highly ornate diadem of gold and rubies, and placed it on Gajeel's head, calling out the last of the sacred rites. Gajeel stood then, presenting himself to all who had gathered on his behalf.

The room filled with applause and cheers and everyone stood, honoring him. Gajeel let slip a small smile as he was led away into the dressing room once more by the High mage and his attendants. All the tension in his body left him as soon as the door was closed, and he collapsed onto the chair where he had sat most of the day, waiting.

_I pray that dealing with the princess is easier than that,_ he thought, _though for some reason, I feel it will be ten times harder_.

* * *

Like I said, I hope that all made sense, and was described well enough. I am going to work on the next chapter right away, so expect Levy and Gajeel's relationship to begin the healing process soon.

Till next time!


	7. Unease

I had fun writing this one. Erza shows up. I like Erza a lot in the actual Fairy Tail storyline so I'm making her super cool in this one. She'll show up quite a bit from now on.

I don't own Fairy Tail. But I do like reviews, friendly or otherwise. I also have to thank everyone who has reviewed this story so far! You guys are the freaking best!

* * *

A ball followed the coronation, as they seemed to follow every major royal event. Gajeel came in last, sporting the traditional, and much less ornate, crown that his father had worn. It was actually quite plain, but somehow it suited Gajeel very well, its steel color matching that of his many piercings. The whole company rose upon his entering, calling out 'Your Majesty' and bowing in unison. Gajeel took his seat next to Levy at the head table and opened the feast.

"My countrymen, my friends, eat and be merry," he said, spreading his arms out in offering.

With a great clamor of forks and clinking of glasses, the celebration began. Gajeel turned to Levy, and was surprised to find her looking at him. Her expression was unreadable. _Here we go_, he thought.

"Princess, may we speak here of this morning, or would you prefer to at a later time and in private?" he asked. He prayed she would opt for his second suggestion.

"We may speak here," she said softly. Levy waited for him to continue, not quite knowing how to begin.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked.

"Yes," she said simply, "though for your tone, not for your message. Upon reflection, I realized you were concerned for me," she said, taking a small bite of food. Her appetite was tiny, even more so after such a day.

"Yes, I was concerned. And I should apologize to you for my tone. I am…unused to handling such situations," he admitted. "So, I am sorry for my behavior this morning."

Levy smiled. It looked like it pained him to apologize, and she would bet that he had never had to do something so degrading to himself before.

"I thank you for that, Your Majesty," she replied, hiding her smile by taking another bite. "And I promise to keep myself indoors during the night."

"I think that would be best."

They were both silent then, preferring their food to conversation. Gajeel was worried that Levy left most of her food on her plate, but she did seem to be all right from the way she spoke to Natsu and Juvia and Gray across from her, and to Jose, who sat beside her. Jose seemed to be in good humor, too, though he always seemed so cold and serious. Gajeel was not particularly fond of the man, but it was good to see him relax a little bit.

When the dancing began Gajeel, of course, danced with Levy first, though neither of them seemed to have their hearts in it. After, Levy danced with Natsu and with Gray and with a swarm of other gentlemen attending. She made a concerted effort to dance with noblemen from Oak, especially the High Nobles, whom she would be seeing often as Gajeel's wife. She spoke kindly to each of them, asking about their positions and becoming friends with their wives and sisters.

Levy found a fast friend in a woman called Erza Scarlet, who was General of Gajeel's armed forces. Levy had just finished dancing with a nobleman called Leo and was attempting to dismiss his flirting, when Erza approached. Leo instantly bowed and apologized for having to leave her so soon, and ran away faster than Levy had ever seen any man run.

"Was he bothering you?" asked Erza. She was much taller than Levy, wrought with lean muscle. Levy was jealous of her, being so strong and so tall and so beautiful. Erza also filled out the bust of her slightly skimpy dress much better than Levy could.

"Oh, not really. But thank you," replied Levy, smiling weakly.

"He tried to flirt with me once, you know," said Erza.

"Is that why he runs so quickly from you now?" asked Levy. She put her hands to her mouth, realizing her statement might have been misconstrued as insult. "I…forgive me, I did not mean to…"

Erza waved it aside. "It is the truth. He was black and blue for a month. He still refuses to show his face in court if I am there." Erza grinned. "From now on, if you have any problems, you come to me. I can take down anyone in the kingdom."

"Even His Majesty?" asked Levy.

"Even His Majesty, though now he is officially crowned I would be hanged if I tried. It is too bad, really. We used to have such fun sparring. I taught him a lot of what he knows, you know."

"Could you teach me sometime?" asked Levy hopefully. "I mean, if you have the time, of course. And if you think I am capable of learning."

"Anyone is capable of learning. What would you want to know?"

"How to fight with weapons," said Levy instantly. She had always wanted to learn, but her mother had been against it since Levy was so small. "I can create weapons at will with my magic, and I want to know how to use them."

Levy felt Erza's hand on the top of her head. "We shall begin tomorrow if you wish."

Levy smiled brightly, about to give her thanks, but she was interrupted.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, ladies," said Jose, approaching them. "Princess, it is the last dance of the evening and I could not forgive myself if I missed the opportunity to take a turn around the room with you."

"Oh, yes, of course. I would love to," replied Levy. "General, please excuse me." She bowed to Erza.

"Tomorrow morning, Princess, do not forget," called out Erza as Levy was led away. Levy nodded enthusiastically and took her place on the dance floor with Jose.

The music began and Jose took Levy's hand, and gripped her waist. He held her a little more closely than she would have liked, but she did not say anything about it. Jose led her expertly around the dance floor, turning her and changing directions when the dance required. There was little conversation at first, but as she felt Jose's hand start to pull her in closer, she felt the need to speak. Jose realized and spoke first, to prevent her protests.

"How do you find the palace, Princess? I gather it is very different from your home."

"Um, yes it is. It is much more, um, open here," she stammered.

"The people here are more open too, I think you will find," he said, a smile creeping onto his face. Levy began to pull away, catching the suggestiveness of his tone, but he held her in place. "We are very friendly here," he said. "If you need anything, even if it is only something you want, my door is always open to you." He leaned in close to her ear and whispered. "Always."

All the color left Levy's face. She was glad the music chose that moment to end or she might have run away in the middle of the dance. Quickly, she bowed to Jose and left the ballroom. Only Lucy seemed to notice.

"Levy?" asked Lucy, coming out into the hallway after her. "Levy, are you all right?" Then she saw her face and the tears on her cheeks. "Levy, what happened?"

"Nothing. Everything is fine."

"Levy, something is the matter. What happened? Did that mean old prin…king I mean, say something to you again?"

"Oh, no, not him. Lucy, really, everything is fine. I am certain I am just overreacting. Jose was just trying to be friendly and welcoming."

"What did he say to you?"

Levy recounted the conversation to her friend and told her how she had tried to protest. She told her how frightened she was when he pulled her close, and how her skin prickled when he whispered in her ear.

"Levy, you have to tell the king. You have to. The Prime Minister was not just being friendly. I guarantee it." Lucy nodded earnestly at her friend. She knew levy had little experience with men and could not tell for herself when she was in danger, but Lucy had seen the way men behaved, especially around a pretty girl. She was certain Jose's intentions were not to be welcoming.

"I will not," said Levy resolutely. "He does not need to be bothered with such small matters. I can take care of my own issues. Besides, like I said, Jose was just being friendly. I really have nothing to worry about." She sounded more sure of herself than she felt.

Lucy silently vowed to keep an eye out over the last week they were to spend in Oak. One false move on the Prime Minister's part and she was going to tell the King.

"Well, come then. Let us retire for the evening," said Lucy, linking her arm around Levy's. "You have had a _very_ long day."

"Yes, and I have to be up early. General Scarlet promised to teach me how to fight."

_Well thank the gods for that_, thought Lucy.

* * *

I really liked the idea of Erza teaching Levy how to be tough. It just seems like something she'd be willing to do, even in the real Fairy Tail storyline. Anywho, more coming up, hopefully tonight. If not, definitely tomorrow.

Till next time!


	8. Incident

Well hello again all. Sorry for the delay on this chapter. At first Korean Dramas were keeping me distracted. Then this glorious summer season of new JDramas, KDramas and anime began to keep me even more distracted. I mean how many awesome shows are airing this summer, right?

Wow, even now, still distracted. Anyway, again, I apologize, especially to Medley Nightfallen, to whom I promised this chapter two days ago. You have my sincerest apologies. :)

Anywho, I don't know whether this chapter makes me happy or not, so it may be re-written at some point in the future, but it is necessary to move the story along, so for now, this is what you get.

I hope you enjoy it anyway.

* * *

Levy fell asleep around three in the morning. She woke up two hours later when someone banged loudly on her door. Lucy, who had not slept at all for worrying, answered the door and was pushed aside as Erza Scarlet barged into the room without so much as a hello. She stalked up to the half-asleep Levy.

"Up, recruit! Five o'clock training means you are outside and prepared by five o'clock!"

"Did we agree on five o'clock?" asked Levy groggily, yawning loudly. Erza paused, suddenly looking pensive.

"Ten after five training! Tomorrow starts five o'clock training! Now move!"

"Yes ma'am," said Levy, still groggy. She pulled herself out of bed and pulled on the loose-fitting clothing Lucy had laid out for her, grateful they would be suitable for an intense workout. Erza snatched Levy's hand and led her out, across to the other side of the palace, and out into a small courtyard, where weapons and training dummies had already been set up.

"This is my personal training field," said Erza. "It would be best if I trained you here, where we won't be disturbed. Most people are of the opinion that princesses shouldn't fight, you know?"

"Yes, we are meant to be delicate flowers, looking pretty and smelling sweet and nothing else," Levy replied with a scowl.

Erza smiled. "But I hear you aren't like that, Princess. I heard what happened at the first meeting between you and our King." Levy blushed, and turned away in embarrassment. "I thought so. That's why I agreed to train you. You've got a fiery little temper in you, which we can put to good use. Now, how experienced are you?"

"I know some basic self-defense," said Levy. "And I can create weapons with my magic, though I have not a clue how to use them."

"Well, for now we'll work on your hand-to-hand, and get you practicing with a sword to strengthen your arms. Once you get some muscle on you, I'll teach you how to use a dagger and a short sword. With your stature, you'd be better at stealth and swift attacks than hammering away at someone with a broadsword."

"Instruct away, teacher," said Levy, smiling broadly. Her mother, loving as she was, had never let her learn more than a few self-defense moves, firmly believing that a woman should be the _protected_, not the _protector_.

The pair of them spent the morning figuring out Levy's current ability level, which Erza was surprised to find was fairly high. It seemed that Levy had taken some time to turn the basic moves she had learned into much more complicated moves with the aid of some of her beloved books. And while she was a little undisciplined, she had more potential than Erza had expected, too.

"Take this," said Erza, handing an infantry sword to Levy. "Practice with that, simple swings like I showed you today, and you'll strengthen your arms in no time. We're going to teach you stealth, but you'll need strength too. And you might want to keep the fact that you're practicing to yourself."

"Would the king really mind that much?" asked Levy.

"Gajeel?" said Erza, surprising Levy with her informality. "No, he'd be overjoyed if he knew. The Redfox men have all been distinguished warriors, after all, and favor strong women. Gajeel's mother was the exception. She was lovely, but she was frail. She died when Gajeel was just five-years-old. It affected him more than he'll ever admit."

_Poor Gajeel_, thought Levy.

"The only women he really talks to are me and that wily woman Mirajane. The two of us can take care of ourselves, so he's become close with us. But you've heard the rumors, right?" asked Erza.

"Rumors? About what?"

"That he has refused every offer of marriage, even from important families from his own court, because the girls were weak, both in heart and in personality. It seems that he agreed to your proposal because you put him in his place the first time you met!" Erza laughed a hearty laugh and clapped a severely blushing Levy on the shoulder.

"No! No, that cannot be true! He accepted because it was a good political decision to make! It had nothing to do with me personally. I doubt he even likes me at all. He is polite, but he can be so gruff and uncaring sometimes!"

"And that'll never change, Princess. Gruff is just his first nature. However, uncaring is not the word I'd use to describe him. _Too_ caring, perhaps, but not _un_caring. He just doesn't know how to express it properly. Give it some time, Princess. You'll see."

Levy smiled. "I appreciate the encouragement. But I went into this expecting nothing, so if what you have said is true, perhaps I will end up pleasantly surprised. Good day, General, and thank you for the lesson! I will see you at five o'clock sharp tomorrow morning!"

"Have a good day, soldier. And don't forget to practice!"

Levy raced off, waving happily as she went back to her room for a much needed shower.

* * *

"Your Majesty," said Jose, approaching Gajeel. The King was sat upon his throne, propping his head up with his hand, elbow resting on the arm of his magnificent chair. "Your Majesty, is there something wrong? You are unusually pensive this morning."

"Nothing is wrong, but there is a small annoyance that will take me away from the palace for a few days," replied Gajeel, not bothering to look up at his guest.

"The attack on our garrison?" asked Jose.

"I see you have heard. Good, then I trust you understand why I am going personally to resolve this issue."

"Of course, Your Majesty. Shall I arrange your guardsmen as per usual?"

"No, this time I am not announcing my trip. All of the guests from the coronation will be departing today, and I shall leave tonight, just after them. I will be taking Erza with me." Gajeel stood, smoothed the lines of his robes. "I will leave instructions with Mirajane for the care of the Princess, but I am asking you to keep an eye on her as well. See that she wants for nothing."

"Of course, Your Majesty," said Jose, concealing a grin. The King was reacting to the news of the attack just as he had hoped. "Shall I tell the Princess that you are leaving?"

"No, I think it best I explain it to her myself. And I will return before she is to leave anyway."

"As you wish, Your Majesty. Safe journey." Jose grinned again as Gajeel walked past him. _Everything according to plan_.

* * *

Levy had just gotten out of the shower when she heard the knock at her door, and then the sound of the door opening.

_Yay, Lucy has come back with breakfast!_ Levy pulled her robe over her still damp body, pulling it tightly closed, and grabbed a towel for her hair on her way out of the luxurious en suite bathroom.

"Lucy, thank God, I am starv…"

Levy looked up and almost fainted. Standing before her was Gajeel, dressed in full military regalia, looking more clean-cut than ever she had seen him. Levy's eyes went wide, and she scrambled to cross her arms over her breasts, despite the fact they were already completely covered by cloth.

"Your Majesty, forgive me," she said. "I thought you were Lucy."

"As you see, I am not," he replied. He seemed not to notice the state of her undress, but there was an edge to his voice that made Levy wary. She had heard him angry before, but there was more to this. There was something akin to sorrow beneath the seething rage.

"Your Majesty, has something happened? You do not seem like yourself this morning."

"A garrison to the west was attacked. Over one hundred soldiers were killed, including my only remaining cousin."

Levy gasped, moving toward Gajeel instinctively, hands outstretched. She realized herself, and stopped short of grasping his hands in hers.

"I am so sorry, Your Majesty," she said.

"My personal feelings have nothing to do with this," said Gajeel sternly, staring down at her.

_Of course they do not_, thought Levy sarcastically. It was disconcerting how easily he could lie, but it was good to know that this stoic, cold-seeming man did have feelings somewhere.

"I am sorry to have to leave during your stay here, but I must. I will be gone for three days, and come back to the palace in time for us to have a day to talk about the wedding. I will be leaving you in the care of Mirajane and Jose," said Gajeel. Levy's small shudder at the name Jose escaped Gajeel's notice.

"General Scarlet will not be here?"

"No. As this is a military matter, Erza is coming with me. I did not realize the two of you were acquainted."

"We met at the coronation ball. She agreed to train me in weapons and fighting. We had our first session this morning," said Levy proudly.

"How interesting," said Gajeel, his expression softening. "How did the training go?"

"She said I have potential," said Levy, shrugging her shoulders, "whatever that means."

Gajeel cracked a small grin. "From her that is high praise indeed. Perhaps, when I return, you will allow me to attend one of these training sessions." Levy nodded encouragingly. "Good day then."

Gajeel bowed formally, his stoic expression returned to his face, and swept out of the room. A moment later, Lucy came into the room with breakfast, which they ate while Levy recounted her conversation with Gajeel. At the mention of Jose, Lucy made a mental note to ask Natsu to change his travel plans and stay at the palace, just in case. Natsu was a bit of an idiot, but he was _strong_. And he would do anything to keep herself and Levy safe.

* * *

Next chapter should be up fairly soon (within a couple of days). This next chapter is where the good stuff starts happening. And if all goes according to plan, this is going to be a LONG story. I have so much more I want to do with these characters.

Till next time!


	9. Inn

Hello again! Welcome to the show. I don't own Fairy Tail, and if Mashima-sensei doesn't bring Gajeel and Levy back into it soon, in more than a half-dead, bandaged to high heavens capacity, I'm not sure I want to. C'mon! Gajeel has missed most of the damn fight! I want some dragonslayer teamwork action!

Anyway, back to reailty. here's the chapter. I really need to start thinking up some omakes for this story. Maybe later on. Enjoy.

* * *

Levy bid farewell to Gajeel and Erza that afternoon. They dug their heels into the ribs of the horses and left behind them only a cloud of dust.

"It will be boring again without the general around," said Levy somewhat dejectedly.

"And what of your husband to be? Will you miss him at all?" asked Lucy, locking arms with her princess and leading her back inside the palace.

Levy giggled. "Perhaps a little. He smiled at me so sweetly this morning, I hardly could believe it. Apparently my intention of learning how to fight is increasing my esteem with him."

"And I think it is a good idea you learn how to defend yourself," agreed Lucy.

"Surely you do not think the King would…"

"No, he may be brutish, and a little terrifying sometimes, but he is an honorable man. Of that I am certain."

"Then who could you be…"

"Princess, are you honestly so blind to your surroundings? Or have you simply not learned to trust your own instincts? You were in shambles after the coronation ball, when I found you in the hallway. After the Prime Minister…"

Lucy stopped, not daring to finish the sentence. She did not trust herself to keep calm if she continued.

"Lucy…"

"No, Levy, please," Lucy begged her, "listen to me." She took a deep breath, knowing she would have to get it all out quickly. "You were obviously disconcerted by his comments, and yet you defended his intentions! I cannot understand the way you think, but I do know that one day it will get you into trouble! And it will be the kind of trouble from which you cannot recover. I am so worried about you, Levy. In Magnolia you were loved, surrounded by people who would die to protect you, and your life was so very carefree. But this place is different. We are in completely new territory here. I do not trust anyone in this palace except Mirajane and Erza, and of course His Majesty. Most of all, I do not trust Jose. And in his position, any number of the palace guards or infantrymen that wander these halls could be working for him. Any of the servants could be waiting to carry out orders to hurt you. So you will promise me something. I have asked Natsu to stay behind for your protection and he has agreed. I have also spoken to Mirajane on the subject. You must promise me you will not leave your room unless either Natsu or Mirajane is accompanying you. At least until the King returns."

Lucy stared into her friend's eyes imploringly.

"Mirajane? How could she possibly help if something were to happen?"

Lucy's features went white. "I have heard stories, princess. In the kitchens, they tell the most horrific tales of the great Mirajane and her magical abilities. She seems to be someone even Erza would not wish to cross."

"Oh, well then," said Levy nervously. She turned away from Lucy, partially in embarrassment because she was making enough of a fool of herself for people to worry over her so much, and partially because she still did not want to believe ill of anyone, least of all someone the King had set up as her caretaker during his absence. If Gajeel trusted him, why should she not?

In the end, however, her loyalty and trust in Lucy, who had never wronged her before, won out, and she agreed to her friend's terms. Lucy threw her arms around her friend happily.

"Thank you, Princess! Now come, Mirajane promised to bring dinner to your room this evening. Should we eat in the garden?"

Levy smiled at that. The garden had really come to life, even in the short time she had been at the palace. Most of the other flowers had bloomed, which meant a hundred butterflies were always fluttering around her when she sat on her favorite bench.

"Yes, we should," she agreed.

* * *

Gajeel was a streak of black against the darkening sky. And Erza was a streak of flaming red. They pushed their horses hard, trying to beat the sunset. They would rest the night in Clover, a small town about halfway to their destination. Tomorrow, early, they would ride out again and be there by mid-morning for the damage report and to help pick up the pieces.

It was late when they arrived at the inn just outside of town. Erza had been to this place before, had made drinking buddies out of the locals, but sneaking Gajeel, the King of Oak, into a grotty little inn was another story. He pulled the hood of his cloak up over his mass of black hair, and wrapped a scarf loosely around his neck and the bottom half of his face.

"Wait here," said Erza. "I'll make the room arrangements, then you can sneak in from the back. I'll try to get a second floor room so you don't have to climb as much." Erza grinned at Gajeel, who scowled behind his mask.

He was KING, God damnit! He should not have to sneak around to the back of some stupid inn, climb the walls, and steal into his own room. Of course, it was safer this way, especially since he wanted to keep his journey to the garrison secret. He was suspicious of the whole affair.

First, Oak was not currently at war with anyone. Of course there were enemies and allies alike, and tensions in the region were beginning to mount, but his was the least likely country to be attacked first. And he had received no reports of other kingdoms being hit. So the war that everyone feared had not started yet. But the timing of this attack was perfect. Just after he is crowned, an enemy attacks and instills distrust of their king in his people, leaving him in a weakened state when the war actually comes. The pieces were lining up too perfectly to be mere coincidence. He hoped the remains of the garrison would give him some vital clues.

"Oi!" someone called softly from above. Gajeel moved around to the side of the building, and saw Erza's grinning face sticking out a third floor window, mocking him. "Get up here before someone sees you!"

Gajeel backed up from the wall, then ran at it full speed, using his momentum to propel himself up enough to grasp the bottom ledge of the second floor windows. With just his fingertips, he pulled himself up onto the ledge, thankful the curtains were drawn. Erza dropped a thick rope down from her window, and helped Gajeel climb the rest of the way up, pulling him in through the window by the scruff of his neck. He tumbled onto the floor, knocking his head against the floorboards.

"You know," he groaned, sitting up, rubbing at the back of his head, "if you were any other person I would have killed you by now."

"I take pride in the fact that you can't," said Erza truthfully, pulling her king to his feet.

Gajeel sighed in annoyance. "I suddenly remember why I take your crap," he said, as images of young Erza flipping young Gajeel over onto his head flashed through his mind. She had actually put her foot on his forehead in victory, too.

"Yes, yes. We should sleep. There is much work to do tomorrow."

"Aye," he agreed as he flopped onto the bed. "I assume you will be sleeping by the door as usual?" he asked, eyeing Erza skeptically.

"Of course. Especially now you've got that cute little Levy to cuddle up to when we get back home. I wouldn't dare steal her cuddle-buddy," she said, making kissing faces at him.

"I swear to God, Erza Scarlet, shut the fuck up and go to sleep!"

Erza hid her laugh behind her hand and moved to the wall next to the door, where she sat, sword between her bent knees, hilt and handle resting against her shoulder. She was forever the general, forever on guard. And no matter how many times they had been on missions, no matter how many times Gajeel had reminded her she was a girl and she should take the bed once in a while, she always refused. Sometimes he wondered if she was being spiteful, or if her ass really did like the floor better.

After a while, both of them were asleep, Erza snoring loudly, completely defeating her own purpose of being on guard, and Gajeel laid out on his stomach, a pillow shoved tightly over his ears and a scowl on his face that remained even in unconsciousness.

* * *

Back in Oak, Levy was unable to sleep at all. She was nervous, not for herself, but for Gajeel. She too had been going over the information he had shared with her. She too had come to realize there was something more to this attack than had already presented itself. She prayed he was not walking into a trap.

Lucy had been passed out for ages, limbs sprawled out all across her bed. Levy smiled at her friend and then looked over at Natsu, who had taken to sleeping on the floor by her bedroom door. He was sprawled out similarly, body blocking the door completely. At least if someone tried to come in there would be a thud and a scream of pain and everyone would be on alert. Levy settled down into her bed, sliding her feet around on the silk sheets, drawing the soft fur blanket up to her face, nuzzling it. She felt secure and comfortable. But she knew she would not feel entirely safe until Gajeel returned and the mystery of the garrison attack was solved.

And outside her bedroom door, a dark shadow crept, whispering to itself.

"Soon..."

* * *

I know, I know, Erza is WAY OOC in this chapter. But I just picture her being really friendly with her close friends (which Gajeel is int his story). She got that way a little bit with Natsu in the real FT, so I figured why not? Plus, she's funny when she's picking on people.

Also, this story is DEFINITELY going to switch to M at a later time. I have already written a couple of future chapters. VERY future chapters, so don't get excited (or creeped out) yet.

Till next time!


	10. Ambush

Hello all, for the second time tonight! Here is chapter ten! Hopefully, I can put up a chapter or two tomorrow as well. I have a scene in mind for a couple chapters from now that I really want to post.

Enjoy!

* * *

Gajeel and Erza stood on the hill, surveying the ruined garrison. Thankfully, it was not one attached to a town, as so many of the other, larger garrisons in Oak were. But still, the building had been completely decimated. A few people moved about the ruins, tending to anyone left alive. None of the ones walking around were the soldiers; they were all villagers and travelers who had come from miles away to help.

"Shall we, My King?" asked Erza, speaking formally for once. Gajeel only nodded before leading his horse down the hill to the disaster zone.

* * *

"Is that…"

"No, it can't be…"

"No, it is, look!"

Soft murmurs met his keen ears as he passed, Erza in tow. He had not bothered to cover himself up now, and everyone recognized him. As word got around, people began to bow amongst the rubble. Gajeel and Erza reached what was once the mess hall, where most of the living soldiers were laid out and receiving aid, and the villagers were already on the ground, bowing formally.

Gajeel dismounted and addressed them all. "Stand, all of you. This is no time for formality or ceremony. Please, who is the highest ranking soldier left alive?"

"I am, Your Majesty," said a weak voice nearby. Gajeel hurried over to him. "Help me sit up," said the man to the young villager that had been tending his severe wounds.

"Please, Sir, your wounds…" protested the villager.

"I won't survive much longer anyway," he said. "But I _will_ face my king with my head held high." The villager obliged, sitting the soldier up, leaning him against an overturned dining table.

"Name and rank," said Erza.

"Lyon Bastia, Lieutenant Colonel, Ma'am," he said, attempting a salute. His arm barely moved an inch off the ground.

"What happened here?" asked Gajeel, his eyes still wandering the devastation.

"Chaos, Your Majesty," he sputtered. Blood trickled down his chin. "We were descended upon at night, from the East where our watch was thin. They came for the Brigadier first."

_My cousin_, thought Gajeel. "Who?"

"A thousand men, wearing the uniform of Magnolia."

Gajeel's eyes went wide, his voice caught in his throat. Erza spoke for him.

"You _must_ be mistaken," she said.

"No ma'am, they wore the colors of Magnolia. We have shared a border with them long enough to recognize them."

"All right soldier, rest now. You've served well," said Erza. She gave a nod to the villager at Lyon's side, and the lieutenant colonel was laid down again, groaning and coughing. Erza led Gajeel away, to an empty corner of the ruins.

"There is no way possible this was Magnolia," said Gajeel.

"Unless they are _far_ more devious than we assumed," said Erza, giving him a skeptical look.

"That is not a thought that will cross your mind again," scolded Gajeel. "This was _not_ Magnolia. That old king has not the malice to attack unprovoked, especially when I have his daughter at my palace. Find out where the bodies of the enemies are. I want them checked."

"If they are from Magnolia, they've burned their dead."

"Just find me a body!" yelled Gajeel. "Go, quickly."

This was not right. Magnolia had made the first advances toward peace. King Makarov had always been an honorable man, and a wise leader. Levy was snarky, but truly innocent, and truly beauti… Anyway, this was not right. But if Magnolia was not at fault, who was?

He was pondering the problem when Erza called for him. In an instant, he was at her side.

"Like I thought, they burned the bodies," she said. "But they missed one. I found him under a mass of roofing. Gajeel, you aren't going to like this. Pull down his collar." Gajeel did so, and saw the black tattoo on the man's collarbone.

"That…Oh God, we have to get home. Now!"

Gajeel and Erza ran to their horses and mounted up quickly, riding as fast as their horses could manage, back towards the palace.

"Please be all right, please be all right," murmured Gajeel as he pushed his mount to go faster.

Erza looked at him with her peripheral vision, worrying. This was betrayal of the ultimate kind. And not only was his palace in danger, but now his fiancée was too.

_Please keep them safe_, thought Erza. _He can't lose anyone else._

* * *

Levy woke to a loud grunt of pain and the image of Lucy kicking Jose hard in the crotch, despite being tied to her bedpost. Natsu was knocked out cold and also tied, to the foot of Levy's own bed. She tried to jump out of bed, to attack the man who had done this, but she fell forward onto the floor instead. She had not realized her own hands and feet were tied.

"Now, now Princess, we must behave," said Jose, turning at the thud of her body against the floor. "I will be with you in a moment." Jose turned back to Lucy and smacked her across the face, leaving a red mark just above the cloth that bound her mouth. She stared at him defiantly, and moved her foot to kick him again. But he reacted first, punching her hard, knocking her out.

"Lucy! Lucy, no!" called Levy, crying instantly. Her face went beet red, her cheeks soaked with her tears. She struggled, inching towards Lucy, trying to form a plan to use her magic without the use of her hands. She wished her sleep had been less comfortable; then, she might have noticed that someone was attacking her and her friends.

Jose walked over to Levy, his fun with Lucy now ended, and picked the princess up by the bindings around her wrists. She called out, the pain in her arms from being wrenched upwards behind her back becoming too much to bear. He lifted her up until her face was level with his.

"Your father was behind the attack on the garrison," he said, grinning sickeningly, showing all his yellowed teeth.

"That is a lie! My father would never…"

"Of course it is a lie, girl. But when the people hear the testimony from the wounded soldiers, and when the great King Gajeel and his general are killed on their way home by soldiers wearing Magnolia's colors, no one will think twice. I will be in command, and I will lead our men to war. And I will be fully backed by our parliament and by our people."

"But Gajeel trusted you! How could you…"

"He did trust me. But he was too strong-willed. I thought when his father died, he would let me mold him to my will. But he knew what he wanted. He never needed my help. And so now I have to kill him so I can take my place as King and begin this kingdom's conquest of this continent."

"Why are you telling me all this?" asked Levy, even as she knew in her heart what his answer would be.

"Because my dear," he whispered into her ear as his twisted fingers groped her hair, his nails scratching the soft flesh of her neck, "you will not be alive long enough to tell anyone."

"Then kill me quickly and get it over with," she said defiantly, staring angrily into her captor's eyes.

Jose laughed amusedly, yanking on her hair until her scalp hurt. She refused to dignify him with a whimper of pain.

"Why should I kill you now, Princess? Why should I end my fun before my fun even begins?"

He threw her against her bedpost, splitting open the skin on the back of her head. She cried out, loud on purpose.

"Do not think the guards will come to your rescue. They work for me," said Jose, grinning again as he sauntered over to where she landed. "We will be quite alone for our fun."

* * *

Gajeel's arm was giant and metallic, with impeccably sharp claws for fingers. He slashed through the ambushers as Erza requipped into her Titania armor to take out the remaining few on her side of the battlefield.

The battle ended, only Gajeel and Erza left alive, though they were completely drenched with the blood of their enemies. They had defeated all one hundred or so men; Erza was mostly uninjured, and besides a deep gash across his chest, so was Gajeel.

"Take one of them. I do not care which. I want a body as proof of whom they serve," said Gajeel, remounting his horse and taking off again before Erza could even choose a soldier.

"Fucking son of a bitch!" screamed Gajeel into the wind. "Fuck! _Fuck_!"

The pain in his chest, both the wound and his heart, propelled him forward. He was still two hours away from the palace. And he knew in his gut that Jose had already made his move there too. Something was very wrong, something very bad, and he could feel it crawling around inside his stomach, making his insides squirm.

"_FUCK!"_

* * *

Sorry for the semi-cliffhanger and Gajeel's sudden change of language. When he's pissed he says bad things. :) I know that when I say a new chapter will be up tomorrow, I probably shouldn't be trusted, but I am hoping to get another chapter or two up tomorrow.

Till Next Time!


	11. Fire

So here's the promise update. This is a little longer than my normal chapters. I hope you enjoy it!

Also, thanks everyone who Favorited "Freaking Adorable". 100 Faves is quite an honor! You guys are totally the best!

* * *

Levy was struggling to keep Jose occupied with spouting out his grand plans for the country and for the war he was trying to start. Besides smacking her around a bit, he had been too busy running off at the mouth to do anything severe. But now, Levy was running out of ways to encourage him to talk and not touch.

Jose had moved her to the kitchens, into the large walk-in pantry, after his soldiers had cleared out the kitchen staff. Levy had noticed with some dismay that Mirajane was not in the kitchens; she prayed Mirajane had not already been dealt with.

Levy worried, too, about Gajeel and Erza. Certainly they were terribly strong, but would they be able to overcome a small army on their own? If one or the both of them did not come back soon, Levy knew she would lose hope.

But no, now was not the time to be weak. Now was not the time to lose faith in her friends and in herself. She _would_ make it out of this, one way or another, and she planned to use her own magic to do so.

Behind her back, she struggled to move her hands; the ropes bit into her flesh, burning and tearing her wrists. Her own stubbornness kept her from making a sound. Eventually, she maneuvered her hands so her right was on top of her left, palm up. With her index finger, which was beginning to lose feeling from the tightness of the ropes, she wrote the word 'KNIFE'. She caught the word, sharp as and in the shape of a knife in her hand and spun it around, shoving the blade under the ropes. As she began to whittle away at the rope, the blade sliced at her own skin too, leaving shallow gashes behind. She began to worry about her plan, considering the proximity of the knife to major arteries in her wrists, but this might be her only chance to escape. She kept the knife moving, even when she felt her blood running down her palms, pooling beneath her fingernails.

And Jose talked and talked, his madness increasing. He was too preoccupied with his ravings to notice the gentle shaking of Levy's body as she sliced at the ropes. He was too preoccupied to notice that despite the fact she was staring directly at him, her face as defiant as ever to mask the pain, she was not paying attention to a word he said anymore.

Finally, the final strand of rope snapped; before it fell to the floor, Levy caught the rope, keeping it and her hands behind her back so as not to raise suspicion. She was lucky her nightgown was long; if it had not trailed to her feet, the blood that ran down the back of it, pooling on the floor behind her, might have been noticed. Levy knew her time was running short. If Jose did not turn around soon, just long enough for her to work her magic, she would run out of blood before she could fight him. Levy's breathing was becoming labored; she was having a hard time keeping her composure.

She was saved by a sudden knock on the door of the pantry.

"What?" Jose called out, clearly irritated.

"My Liege," said one of the guards. "The King is back! He and the general are back!"

At that Jose slammed open the door, staring down the guard. "_What_ did you say?"

Before the guard could speak, a blast of fire engulfed him and Jose from inside the pantry. The guard fell, severely burned and unconscious. Jose twisted around, writhing in pain as he patted out the flames on his back, glaring daggers at Levy. His eyes were wide and bloodshot with surprise and anger. He rounded on her, but was cut short by yet another blast of fire, and another and another. Levy was not about to let him escape while she was still conscious to fight. Though how long she would be conscious, was beginning to be a concern.

* * *

Gajeel blasted a hole in the locked door to Levy's bedroom with his metal fist, breaking the handle and locking mechanism and forcing his way inside. He found Natsu on the floor, still unconscious, and Lucy just coming around. Gajeel rushed to her, ripping away the cloth from her mouth.

"Where is she?" he asked hurriedly. He shook her slightly when she did not immediately respond. "Where the hell is she?"

"The kitchens," said a weak voice from the doorway. Gajeel turned and saw Mirajane leaning against the doorframe, dripping blood on the floor.

"Are you…"

"Most of the blood belongs to other people," she said, allaying his fears. "Now go, hurry. Jose has her in the kitchens." Gajeel did not need to be told again.

He raced through the palace, noting with pride the piles of enemies Mirajane had left in her wake as she had stormed through the castle. Gajeel was like a horse wearing blinders, seeing only the path ahead, only his goal. His legs hurt from the vigorousness of his ride, but that did not matter. His chest ached every time his muscles flexed, reopening the deep gash there, but again, none of it mattered. All that mattered was Levy.

He faintly realized that this was the first time he had ever thought of someone in this way. Someone besides his mother, anyway. He had never wanted to protect anyone like this. He had never experienced the dread that was filling his stomach as he came closer to the kitchens. What would he find there? Would he find Levy alive? A thousand disturbing thoughts of what Jose might have done to her filled his mind, making him sick.

He reached the kitchens as a massive fireball blew out through the door to the walk-in pantry. Momentarily stunned, he watched as Jose flew backwards out of the pantry, his entire body encircled by flame. Inside the fire, he was laughing as if he felt nothing of the pain. Gajeel could see Jose's skin blistering in the heat, and knew that the laughter was the madness taking hold of him; he definitely felt everything.

Gajeel raced forward, dodging another blast of fire, letting it hit Jose in the chest before he took the former prime minister in his own hands and slammed him up against a nearby wall. Jose still laughed, not even recognizing who was in front of him. For a moment, Gajeel was at a loss. He knew he should kill this horrible man, and that if Jose ever became sane enough to stand trial, he would be sentenced to death. But something about that horrible, psychotic laughter, and his hollow eyes stopped him. Jose, the Jose who had plotted and hurt and killed, was not there anymore.

"Gajeel!" called Erza, bounding into the kitchen with a small contingency of soldiers, those who had remained loyal.

"Take this trash. Lock him away until I can think of something to do with him," said Gajeel, throwing Jose to the floor.

Erza was about to suggest killing him savagely, but Gajeel was already hurrying into the pantry, where a small bundle of person was lying on the floor, the ends of her soft blue hair stained with blood, which was still pouring from her wrists.

"Levy? Levy?" he called. He scooped her up into his arms, laid her head against his chest and spoke to her, trying to wake her. "Levy, wake up, please."

"Medics are standing by," said Erza from across the room.

"My chamber, quickly," he replied, and took off towards his bedroom, Levy's blood trailing behind him. He found it strange, but he seemed to be holding back tears. The sight of her tiny broken, bloody frame, limp and lifeless in his arms was too much to bear. He wished he had killed Jose on the spot, instead of allowing his sense of honor to take over.

"Your Majesty," same a small voice from chest height. Gajeel looked down to see Levy's eyes were slightly open. "Thank…thank God you're…all right." And she passed out again, her breathing even shallower now, her skin a ghostly white.

"No, God, Be alive," he whimpered.

* * *

The medics were already waiting when they reached Gajeel's expansive bedroom. They instructed him to lay her on the floor and put her head on his knees to keep it propped up. The pair of medics quickly used their magic to numb her and to temporarily stop the bleeding so they could see to stitch her up. They worked adeptly, closing the multiple wounds the knife had made on her wrists. When she was stitched up, they spread ointment over the rope burns and bandaged her wrists and fingers, some of which had minor cuts as well, and her hands, which had been slightly burned by her haphazard use of magic.

They checked her over for other injuries, cleaning and bandaging the laceration on the back of her head, and bandaging the rope burns around her ankles after removing the ropes there. Not seeing anything else life-threatening, the medics allowed Gajeel to put Levy into his bed, propping her up against several pillows.

"She has lost a lot of blood," one of the medics said. "She may have lost too much."

"What can be done? What can I do to help her?" asked Gajeel earnestly.

"She is beyond healing magic now. If she is to survive, she must pull out of this herself. If she can hold on while her blood begins to replenish, she will be all right. Take care of her; make sure her bandages stay clean. She has lost not only blood, but magic, too; magic which might have sped up her healing process. You will have to be very careful with her over the next few days. Keep her warm at all costs. If she can make it that long, though, she should be all right with a lot of rest."

"Fine. Go attend to the others. Send the Princess' handmaiden to me once you have looked after her injuries." The medics bowed and left the room to attend to their duties.

Gajeel dropped his head into his hands, realizing too late that they were still covered in blood. He sighed and stumbled to his bathroom. In the mirror was reflected a man he did not recognize. He knew it was himself, but it was an image of himself totally unfamiliar to him. He had been through battles before, and he had been covered in far more blood. But never had his face carried such an expression of nervousness. His self-control had never been so frayed. He had never been so worried about anything, especially to the point where he could not even be glad that he had saved his kingdom from the coup d'état. But no, he had saved nothing. Levy had destroyed Jose. Even at such great cost to herself, she had destroyed him, fought back against him. _She_ was the savior of Oak.

Word of the struggle would spread quickly, he knew. He cleaned his face and hands and, carefully, the wound across his chest, and stripped off his battle and travel worn clothing, pulling on the simple black shirt and light tan pants in which he normally slept. He decided to worry about brushing his hair another time. It was a battle he had no current interest in fighting.

Stumbling again, he trudged back into the main room and sat at the desk in the far corner. From the top drawer, he removed a few sheets of parchment and a small bottle of ink. Lucy came into the room soon after.

"Your Majesty, how is she?" Gajeel motioned to his bed, and watched as Lucy ran to her.

"She has lost a lot of blood. The medics say if she can survive the first few days, she should recover eventually."

"She should be brought home," said Lucy, moving the hair off her friend's face.

"I will not move her. She is too weak." Gajeel sighed. "And this whole mess is my fault. I should have realized sooner that something was amiss. I should never have left her alone."

In her heart Lucy knew Gajeel was not at fault, but it did not stop her wanting to scream at him that _no_, he definitely should _not_ have left her alone.

"I will take care of her," said Gajeel, rising from his seat. "She will remain here, where I can keep watch. Erza will stand guard at the door if I have no choice but to be away. I do have a giant political mess to clean up, and I will not be able to be here constantly. I will need you to nurse her when I cannot. And to bathe her and the like. Mirajane can help you if you need it."

Lucy nodded, happy to see that Gajeel was serious. She was glad to see that he really did seem to care.

"For today, take a break. Relax. Take care of that idiot that was useless and passed out on the floor of the Princess' bedroom," said Gajeel.

Lucy blushed. "I will not even try to defend that lump. He was nothing more than an oversized doorstop. I thank God he survived, because now I get to kill him myself." She turned to Levy and lightly kissed her forehead. "Your Majesty, please, call me for anything, no matter how insignificant."

"Well, I do have one request," he said. "Word of this is going to get around to Magnolia quickly. I will make my official declarations here, and send the official information to King Makarov, but I ask you to send a letter of your own, telling him that his daughter is safe."

"But she may die! How can I lie to my king like that?" protested Lucy. She bit her tongue, not wanting to face Gajeel's rage or the fact that her lifelong friend was in grave peril.

"Do you trust in her so little?" asked Gajeel, his voice almost pleading. Lucy was taken aback by his conviction.

"I will do as you ask," she replied calmly, and she left the room.

Gajeel looked over at Levy and sighed again. _If you die there will be a war and I will be branded a liar. You had better survive this. You had better come back to me. I have yet to even tell you how I…_

* * *

Prepare for some cuteness next chapter as Gajeel starts to nurse Levy back to health. This was a bloody, icky chapter, so the story is due for a bit of a break dramatically. Also, remember, this is going to be a long one, so there is a lot to come! I am trying not to super rush this one, because I am enjoying writing it, and I don't want it to seem forced (like the end of Freaking Adorable did).

Till next time!


	12. Changes

SO it's almost been a month. I know. Sorry about that. I've been hunting for a job, and with the American economy in the crapper, that's been rough.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! There will be more soonish (much sooner than a month from now at least). I am trying to get back into my writing rhythm, but I can't guarantee anything at this point.

Fairy Tail isn't mine. If it was, I'd be drawing at 5:30 in the morning instead of writing fanfics.

* * *

Lucy was struggling to compose her letter. Lying to King Makarov was just as difficult as she thought it would be. King Gajeel was playing a dangerous game here, a game of lies, whose outcome depended on her princess' will to live. It was not any kind of game Lucy wanted to play.

But really, she had no alternative; circumstance demanded she make a choice. If she told King Makarov the truth, the marriage contract would be dissolved due to the endangerment of his beloved daughter and the extreme instability within Oak's aristocracy. If Lucy lied and Levy died –she shuddered at the thought –then not only would the contract be dissolved, but there would be full scale war between two nations who were so close to an alliance.

Lucy was determined not to be responsible for starting a war. But she was also determined that Levy was not going to die. Gajeel would take good care of her. And if that King did a bad job of it, Lucy had a well-thought-out plan to start her own personal war on his face. Or somewhere else that would really hurt.

So she lied. And she prayed that Levy would last the night.

* * *

Levy was freezing cold. She was practically lost in a sea of thick sheets, blankets and comforters, but every time Gajeel went to her side to check on her, her arms were dotted with goose bumps, and her lips were an unhealthy purplish shade. For a while, he debated whether or not to call in the handmaiden or even Mirajane for advice. But both of them were ailing and in need of recovery, and the handmaiden was hopefully in the middle of writing a very important letter, which he did not want to interrupt.

And since he had finished some of his own letters of importance, he made an executive decision.

Despite the horrible impropriety of it, what with not being married yet, Gajeel slipped into his bed next to Levy, climbing under the multitude of blankets. He reached for her and pulled her in close to his own body; his skin tingled as her frozen body met his blushing hot one.

Gajeel found her arms with his hands and began to rub small circles into her flesh, trying to stimulate what little blood she had left to pump faster and warm her back up. Then he worked at her legs and then her feet, noting how small and delicate they were. Her skin was soft, even with the goose bumps, which he was glad to see were beginning to diminish thanks to his efforts.

Gajeel pulled her even closer, almost on top of him, wrapping her right arm around his stomach so he could reach her back. The nightgown she still wore from the previous night, and had fought in all day, dipped low in the back, so Gajeel had full range of her skin as he wrapped his arms around her and ran his hands up and down her spine.

"You are so tiny," he said to her. Levy's head was nestled into the crook of his shoulder, angled up towards his face. Her mouth was kissed against his collarbone, her hair splayed out across his chest, tickling at the bandage over his wound.

Gajeel moved one hand off her back and clasped it around her hand at his waist; he held it up so he could see.

"So tiny," he said again, smiling softly. It was a strange expression on his usually impassive face. It felt weird to his facial muscles to smile so gently. The only smiles his mouth was accustomed to were smirks and wicked grins. Yet since this girl came into his life, he had smiled in admiration, had smiled warmly, and had smiled in relief. It was a change he had not expected.

Eventually, once he was sure Levy had warmed up a bit, Gajeel fell asleep, their bodies still intertwined. He slipped into dreams, none of which he would remember, but that would carry him through the best sleep of his life.

* * *

Levy, too, dreamt. At first she dreamt of home, the old drafty castle in Magnolia. She dreamt of her mother and father, and of her silly brothers. She dreamt of Elfman and Nab, who always winked at her and threatened to beat up anyone who even looked at her wrong. She dreamt of Lucy and all the time they had spent together, more like sisters than as princess and handmaiden. She dreamt of Natsu and his endless attempts to impress Lucy, and in her mind she laughed, all the while hoping that one day he would succeed. She dreamt of Erza and their training session and how it had made her feel strong to hold the weapon in her hands. And she dreamt of Gajeel, her King, the man she was supposed to marry. She had a vague remembrance that he was all right, and something about how warm she felt told her that he was nearby, watching over her. She wondered if that was a real memory, or if the blood loss was making her dream things that were not so.

Eventually her dreams shifted to the fight, and to Jose, and to slashing at her own wrists to free herself from her bonds. She dreamt of fire and of laughter, and a great fear swept over her. Where was Jose now? Had he somehow managed to survive her barrage of flames? How long had she been unconscious? Was Gajeel still fighting him in some corner of the palace? Had her magic not been enough?

But then she dreamt of hands, warm hands, and a distant voice, willing her to be alive, to be all right. She dreamt of Gajeel's face, slightly bloodied and full of concern, as she thanked God that he was all right. And she knew that was the truth, and not just the blood loss. Gajeel had found her, and the fighting was over.

And then she slept without dreams. Her mind stopped running a mile a minute, and focused on keeping her alive.

* * *

In the morning, Mirajane and Lucy met at the door to Gajeel's bedroom, where Erza was standing guard. Lucy carried fresh clothing for Levy and bathing supplies, and Mirajane carried a tray of tea, coffee and light breakfast foods in one hand, and a much heartier breakfast of potatoes, eggs and steak in the other. She was sure Gajeel was hungry after all of yesterday's activities, and in case Levy was awake already, the toast and jam, and the rice porridge would do well in giving her energy.

At Mirajane's urging, Erza opened the door, allowing them entrance. Immediately, Mirajane's eyes found the huge pile of blankets on the bed, and the tufts of black hair and blue hair sticking out from underneath them.

_Well, well,_ she thought to herself, with a smile. _It seems like he's taking this seriously._

Lucy's thoughts were quite different. _What is he doing to Levy! Why is he in bed with her? Warmth, yeah, warmth. He is just keeping her warm! That has to be it!_

Gajeel woke to the sounds of Mirajane preparing his morning coffee, the clink of spoon against ceramic cup. He tried to sit up but felt something on his arm that kept him rooted to his bed. He looked down and found Levy curled up against him. Sometime in the night he had moved, and now their legs were wrapped around each others', their fingers intertwined, and Levy's head firmly nestled against his chest. She seemed to be smiling, but that might have been wishful thinking on his part.

And she was warm. Which meant Gajeel was sweating buckets. When she had been cold, his temperature had stayed even, despite being under so many blankets. And though he was thankful she was warm, without her to even him out, he had gotten overheated quickly.

"Oh, good morning Your Majesty," said Mirajane, noticing Gajeel's movements. "Is there any change in the young princess?"

"She is warmer," said Gajeel. He moved Levy off of him gently and sat up, sliding his legs over the edge of the bed and standing. His skin was glad for the cooler air of his room.

"I should hope so after you went to the trouble of warming her," said Mirajane, a grin curling her lips. Gajeel did not reply, but the slightest of blushes on his cheeks told Mirajane all she needed to know.

"Your Majesty, my letter is written and sent," said Lucy as she moved towards the bed. She placed the clothing at the foot of the bed, and bowed before heading into the adjoined bathroom with the bathing supplies. Gajeel bowed his head slightly in return to her statement.

"I will need to address my court today," said Gajeel, accepting the cup of coffee Mirajane had proffered him. "And letters will have to be drafted and sent to the regional governors. Everyone must know what happened, and everyone must be on their guard."

"Yes, but later, Your Majesty. It is still early. And most of the court will have to be summoned back to the capital. Perhaps they should be addressed tomorrow?"

Gajeel nodded, seeing the logic in that. "But the letters must be drafted today."

"I will send the calligrapher to you in the afternoon," said Mirajane, bowing.

"Thank you Mirajane. For everything. Are you…"

"I am perfectly fine, Your Majesty. As I mentioned yesterday, most of the blood on me belonged to other people. My only real injury is a slash on my upper arm from a cavalryman that got a little too close. Other than that, I was not touched."

"For that I am grateful."

"And how is the princess? Tell me the truth before Lucy returns."

"She seems to be the same, except I think her body is generating its own heat now. But she is alive, and she will get stronger every day."

"That tiny little girl saved us all, you know," said Mirajane, staring fondly in Levy's direction.

"I know. I owe her my entire kingdom," said Gajeel.

"I think she would settle for your love," said Mirajane, smiling as Gajeel blushed again. "And I think she has proved to you that she deserves it."

"Aye, she has at that."

At that moment, Lucy came out of the bathroom, her hands wet from testing the bathwater's temperature.

"If it is all right, I will bathe the princess now. Her hair still has dried blood in it, and her wounds need to be cleaned and redressed," said Lucy.

Gajeel nodded his consent. Mirajane moved to help Lucy and Gajeel sat at his desk to eat. As soon as he ate the first bite of steak, he realized just how hungry he was. Then he remembered he had not eaten since before he and Erza had visited the site of Jose's first attack. Within five minutes, everything on his plate and two cups of coffee were gone. Then he started on the silverware and the serving tray.

* * *

Lucy and Mirajane were debating what to do with Levy's hair. The ends were bloodstained, and no matter how many times they ran shampoo through it, it would not come out. Levy's hair was too light and the blood had had all night to soak in and dye it.

"We will have to cut it," said Mirajane. "I think there is a pair of scissors in His Majesty's desk. Give me one moment."

Lucy sighed and started to wash Levy's face with the delicate sponge she had brought with her from Magnolia. She was so pale. Not that Levy had ever been particularly tan, but even in the warmth of the water, there was barely any color to her skin.

Before she could stop it, Lucy found herself sobbing softly into Levy's bathwater. She dropped the sponge into the bathtub and wiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands, only managing to make her face wetter than before.

"Please wake up. Please, I beg you," she whispered.

"Lucy?"

Lucy's head shot up, her eyes looking straight at Levy's. But they were not open.

"Lucy, why are you crying?" Mirajane's hand touched Lucy's shoulder, making her jump.

"No reason. It is nothing." She wiped away the tears with her now dry hands. "Did you find the scissors?"

Mirajane nodded. "Help me make it even. We will have to go kind of short. Well, _really_ short. The blood soaked in pretty high up in the back. It is certainly a shame. Right before the wedding and her hair has to be cut."

"If there even is a wedding," said Lucy, holding out a handful of hair for Mirajane to cut.

"Of course there will be. Why would you think otherwise?"

"What if Lev…I mean Princess Levy, wakes up and thinks it is no longer worth the risk to her life? What if she _wants_ a war now that her life was threatened by someone from Oak."

Mirajane gave Lucy one of her motherly smiles. "My dear, do you really think that is likely? It is obvious she cares for this country, and for its people. She fought so hard, even nearly killing herself to fight back. She saved us all, Lucy. She belongs here with our King. And when she awakens, she will say the same thing. You may believe me when I say that. She knows that our two countries need each other now more than ever. And she will realize just how much our King needs her, and she will not be able to leave him."

"Do you really think King Gajeel needs her? He seemed pretty tough yesterday."

"You saw how they were this morning. Levy is catatonic and cannot move. He is the one who pulled her close."

"To keep her warm. He said so himself," said Lucy, still unconvinced.

"The way they were entwined, he must have been holding onto her tightly. More tightly than necessary if his intention was simply to keep her warm. He may be a little slow at realizing his own feelings, and he may be a little gruff and stupid when it comes to being a caring human being, but when no one is looking, when he drops the powerful leader façade where all his actions are strictly calculated, his instincts take over and he becomes something akin to a real human being. And I have never seen him smile so much in all his life. Even when his mother was alive. Believe me, there are plenty of hardships ahead. Neither of them is very forthcoming with their emotions, except for the violent angry ones, but given time, they will find their way to each others' hearts."

Lucy smiled and held out another handful of hair for Mirajane.

_That is right. Everything is changing. Hurry and wake up Levy or you will miss it._

* * *

_Next Chapter Preview: Levy wakes up but is in a bizarro world where dinosaurs are eating egg salad sandwiches while rabbits do magic tricks on their backs..._

_...Kidding. But Levy does wake up._

_Till next time!_


	13. Awakening

Sorry about the delay again. But now I have found a job, and so my time spent filling out applications will be spent working on this story. Please read the note at the end if you get the chance. I have a question for everyone!

So here it is, dinosaurs as promised...kidding. (see the end of chapter 12 if you're totally confused).

* * *

It had been a week since the coup d'état had been suppressed. Gajeel had addressed his court and his people, and had received a reply to his letter to Magnolia that had left him hoping rather than fearing. Levy was in a more stable condition, but she had not yet awakened. Lucy, despite Mirajane's protests, had thought it better to return Levy to her own bedroom; now that the emergency was over, the impropriety of being alone with a man at night could no longer be overlooked. Even if that man was soon to be her husband.

Lucy spent every day fussing over the princess, brushing her now short hair meticulously, changing her clothing and bathing her dutifully, reading to her from many of her favorite books. She allowed no visitors besides Mirajane, Erza and the King, none of whom she could dare refuse. Natsu, she did refuse, however, still angry that he had been completely useless when he was needed most. He had gone back home in despair, but had sent letters of apology to Lucy and to levy every day since. Lucy, who found herself unable to stay truly angry at him, had just gotten it into her head to write him a letter of forgiveness, but she was distracted by a sudden surprise.

Levy woke up.

"Where…?"

Levy let out a loud yawn and rubbed at her eyes calmly as if waking from a good night's sleep and not a coma.

"Oh, right, I am in Oak still. Oh, why does my head hurt so badly?"

"P-princess?" asked Lucy in disbelief.

"Levy, Lucy. Call me Levy, remember?"

"No, Princess…Levy, I mean…You…you are finally awake!" Lucy wiped newly forming tears away from her eyes before they could spill over onto her cheeks. She rushed to her friend and hugged her hard.

"Lucy, whatever is the matter? I know yesterday was a rough day, but I am perfectly all right. Well, besides the headache," said Levy, hugging Lucy.

"Levy, you…you have no memory of what happened, do you?"

"Of course I do. I was taken hostage by Jose, and I fought with him. I remember bleeding a lot from my wrists, and hearing my heart pumping in my ears." She held her hands up so she could inspect her wrists. She had expected to see bandages, but instead saw uncovered wounds that had already scabbed over. "Oh, why are my wounds…Lucy, how long have I been asleep?"

"A week," she replied.

"And everyone else? Is everyone else all right?" Levy stared warily at Lucy, unsure whether or not she wanted to hear the answer.

"Yes, everyone is just fine." Levy let out the breaths he had been holding. "Erza and the King arrived just as you fell from exhaustion and Mirajane plowed through an entire palace full of enemies and only got a few scratches. Erza and the King were attacked on their way back to the palace, and Gajeel was wounded, though not nearly as badly as what you did to yourself."

"And what of the guests? Were they all gone?"

"All except Natsu, who I asked to stay behind. I will not say 'I told you so', but I had a feeling about that Prime Minister."

"You did, Lucy, and you were right. Please, can you forgive me for doubting you? Levy looked at her with her best pleading eyes. Lucy laughed for the first time in a week.

"Of course I will. Now, let me go tell everyone the good news."

"Wait, let me get dressed first," said Levy, sitting upright. She fell back immediately, hands clutched on her temples. "Or maybe not."

"Stay still. You may be awake, but you will have to wait before you try to do anything. Your limbs are probably really stiff, and I will ask Mirajane what she can offer for that headache. But the King will want to see you. I will return momentarily."

Lucy rushed out of the room, stopping just outside the door to tell Erza before hurrying down the hall to the king's bedroom. Erza left her post only for a moment to peek her head inside Levy's room and give her a formal salute. Levy blushed at that.

She pushed herself up against her pillows, giving the illusion that she was sitting up under her own power, and self-consciously smoothed out her hair. Only to find there was a lot less hair than she remembered. Then she began to freak out. Levy threw her blankets off of her, and scrambled on unsure feet to the vanity against the opposite wall. Steadying herself with shaky arms, she stared into the mirror and almost lost what little balance she had.

Her hair was cut like a boy's. Her hair was cut like that skeevy aristocrat Leo who had chatted her up at a previous party, except it was a little more girly in the front. She decided it looked all right, but it was such a huge difference, and she had loved her hair so much, it was going to take some getting used to.

Levy struggled to turn herself around, feeling her legs starting to give beneath her. She tried to take a step, but the small amount of pressure was too much for her knees and she fell to the floor.

"Oh, damn," she said. "I really hate this."

"Levy! What happened?" called Lucy, who had just returned, Mirajane and Gajeel in tow. She moved to reach the princess, but a streak of black swept past her, nearly knocking her over. King Gajeel had Levy scooped up in his arms before Lucy even realized why she had lost her balance.

"Excuse me," said Gajeel as he set Levy down on her bed. He tried to cover her back up, but she maneuvered herself so that her legs hung off the edge of the bed.

"I would rather sit up," she said. "I have been abed far too long as it is."

Gajeel nodded and stepped back from her. Neither of them looked up at each other. There was so much between to say, to explain, but neither found the courage nor the words to express all their pent up emotions. Gajeel was speechless mostly out of habit and because of his poor understanding of how emotion worked in general, and Levy was because she was embarrassed and completely uncertain whether Gajeel still wanted their marriage to take place. She decided to keep her mouth shut and not invite any opportunity for him to cancel it. She understood that now, more than ever, their two countries needed each other. And she was beginning to believe that she might need him too. And she was frightened.

"It really is unfortunate," began Mirajane, breaking the heavy silence. "About your hair I mean. I had all these plans for flowers and ribbons and the perfect tiara picked out for the wedding. But now…"

"Forgive me for ruining your plans," said Levy apologetically.

"Oh, dear, no, no. I only meant that now your hair is short, you may not like the modifications I have made to the hair design."

"But I look like a boy," Levy protested. She snuck a glance at Gajeel, hoping for some sort of telling reaction from him, but his face remained passive. It disheartened her.

"Levy," said Lucy, slipping her arm around her friend's shoulder, "you do _not_ look like a boy. You are far too cute for that, and you know it. And I am certain His Majesty agrees with me." She smiled conspiratorially at the king, but he merely bowed and excused himself from the bedroom, mumbling something about work to be done.

"Do not be bothered by him, Princess," said Mirajane, scowling after Gajeel. "His poor heart has taken more than it could bear this past week, and he simply cannot handle the surge of relief at you waking up that is flowing through him. He is a man, after all, and an emotionally stunted one at that."

"When you put it that way," said Levy, "I almost believe you." She smiled weakly and pulled herself back into bed.

"But you should believe her," said Lucy. "During the first night, when no one was sure if you were going to live, the King…"

Mirajane cut her off, slapping her hand over Lucy's mouth. "We should let the pair of them discuss that in their own time, Lucy." Mirajane gave Lucy her famous death stare and Lucy nodded numbly in agreement. "Now, how about some lunch? I bet you are positively starving!"

"I had not noticed," said Levy. But at that very moment her stomach grumbled. "But it seems I am."

"Then wait just a moment, Princess."

* * *

Gajeel lounged in the chair at his desk, his palms over his face.

_Thank God_, he thought.

"What was that all about?" asked Mirajane standing in his doorway. "Why did you leave like that?"

Gajeel sighed angrily. "Of course I left. She does not want to see me right now. She wants to be with her friends and family. I have half a mind to send her back to her father."

Mirajane snarled, her anger, and thus her Takeover ability, threatening to change her. "You stubborn fool!"

"Mirajane, I have tolerated a lot from you over the years, because you have been like a mother to me, but now you have gone too far." Gajeel started to lose his composure. "Leave now before I get angry."

"I will not leave, and yes you are a stubborn fool! Why would you ruin her happiness? Why would you send her back to her father after all this time, after you have finally become closer to her? Would you ruin the alliance between Oak and Magnolia over an issue of pride?"

"Pride?" he yelled. "You think this has to do with my pride? Fine, maybe it does. My pride as a man has disappeared. I could not protect her! This tiny girl has been placed into my care and at the first real test of my ability to do so, I failed completely! How can I ask her to stay, how can I ask her to let me protect her for the rest of her life and mine when I have already proved myself so damned incapable?"

Gajeel stood and stomped over to the window on the opposite side of the room from Mirajane. He breathed heavily, fuming. Mirajane watched as the metal scales on his hands, which had appeared in his anger, retracted as he forced himself to calm down.

"Your Majesty," began Mirajane slowly. She paused, attempting to collect her thoughts. "I beg you to look back at what happened a week ago. Does it seem to you that the Princess needed so very much to be protected? Did she not prove herself to be strong and capable?" _If not a little reckless_. "Please, consider that perhaps she needs not so much to be protected but to be loved." _Like you need to be_.

"I wish I had never agreed to this marriage in the first place."

"No you do not. Is it not better to have someone like Princess Levy, someone you can trust and respect, than some princess who cares only about her looks, or about bossing around the servants?" asked Mirajane.

"It would be better to have no one. Then I would not have to feel so useless." Gajeel sighed heavily and returned to his seat. "Go, I have work to do. I will make my decision by tomorrow."

Mirajane bowed respectfully and left, closing his door behind her.

* * *

Gajeel is just a big softy, isn't he? Anyway, to the question I mentioned up top: I am wondering if I should officially make this rated M. I have written a fairly saucy lemon for an upcoming chapter, but before I get that far, I want your opinions. Should I publish it as planned, with the racy chapter, and change the rating, or should I leave it T and rethink how I want to portray them being intimate (as in mention it, but not in any kind of detail). let me know what you think. I know there isn't a lot of GajeelxLevy M stories on here, and I was wondering if that was because people didn't want to read it, or if it just wasn't being written.

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

Till next time!


	14. Plans

Here's another! Enjoy!

Due to overwhelming response to the positive, I WILL be posting the chapter that includes the lemon, so be prepared for that. I will post a warning in the footnote of the chapter beforehand, just in case someone really wants to skip it. Hopefully, if I can write enough tomorrow, the chapter will be up then (it's still a couple chapters off, though).

* * *

Within a day Levy was back to walking under her own power. And a day after that she was back to morning training with Erza. Lucy had recommended against it, and even Erza had protested, though not very vehemently, but Levy was unmoved by their caution. She was determined that if she was going to be worthy to stay in Oak, she was going to have to make herself stronger (despite Mirajane's insistence that she was pretty impressive as she already was).

For the next few days all Levy did was train with Erza, or when Erza had to be elsewhere, she trained by herself. Lucy was beginning to worry about her, but Levy insisted she was fine and that the intense exercise helped her sleep. Which was certainly true. At night her mind raced, all the worries deciding that was the time to come out and play. Without the training she knew they would keep her up all night, but with the training she was too tired to think of anything more than her head meeting her pillow.

King Gajeel had been busy since Levy awoke, or so he said. Levy had the feeling he was simply avoiding her. She saw him at dinner most nights, but he said nothing; she ate with Lucy for every other meal.

After a week Levy's body was so sore she was unable to train. So Mirajane decided it was time to plan the wedding.

"Are we still having one?" asked Levy with more spite in her voice than she had planned. "Sorry," she added.

"It is quite all right. His Majesty has decided on a small wedding with as few extraneous guests as possible. He is worried for your safety and the safety of any guests that do come. While it may not be the fantasy wedding you want, I believe we can still make it wonderful." Mirajane smiled widely but Levy just sighed.

"Honestly, I had not thought this far into it. I only thought about what the wedding would stand for, not what flowers to pick out, or married life. I am prepared to be liaison between Oak and Magnolia, and I am prepared for important things like war and ruling a people. Those types of things have never worried me. But what frightens me is the personal aspects of married life. I am but sixteen-years-old. I have _no_ experience in such matters. My parents, though loving, were never very publicly affectionate, and they were much older by the time I got to the age I could understand."

Mirajane stifled a snicker. "Are you worried about sex, Princess? Did your parents never have the _talk_ with you?"

Levy blushed profusely and covered her face with her hands. "Mirajane!"

"Oh, I am so sorry," said Mirajane, not bothering to hide her laughter now. "Where is Lucy? I bet she would be fascinated to hear all of this."

"Lucy is away," said Levy indignantly. "She asked to be allowed to visit Natsu and Wendy, since Wendy's birthday is coming up in a couple of days, and of course I said yes. After all the trouble I have been, she deserves a break."

"How sweet. Now, back to what we were just speaking of. Is that really what is bothering you?"

Levy blushed again. "Yes…but not just that, of course. I…how am I supposed to act once I am married? Am I supposed to be different?"

"I think it is all supposed to come naturally. I suggest letting things happen as they happen. Do whatever you feel is right and see where it takes you. You and His Majesty have not known each other long enough for you to be experts in how to be with each other."

"But how will I ever learn if he is avoiding me, even now, before our marriage?"

"He will come around, I promise. I will let him explain himself to you, but I know that his avoidance does not stem from disliking you. I think he is afraid to connect because he fears that being close to him may put you in danger. You must know how close you came to death when you fought Jose. He just wants to keep that from happening again," said Mirajane.

"He may not have noticed, but my only real injuries were the ones I perpetrated on myself."

"Yes, but they would not have happened at all if someone His Majesty trusted had not betrayed him quite abruptly. Think about it that way, and try to understand his viewpoint."

"I do understand," said Levy, collapsing backwards onto her bed. "I just want him to understand that I am capable of protecting myself." She sat up again suddenly. "And that avoiding me to protect me is a stupid tactic. Honestly, who thought that one up?"

Mirajane laughed, glad that Levy's playfulness had returned. "I think you should tell him that. You have to be firm with him or he will never learn."

Levy smiled deviously. "I think I will. But first, shall we pick out some flowers?"

"Yes, of course! Come with me to the greenhouses!"

* * *

Gajeel and Erza were in Gajeel's private courtyard sparring. They were both layered with sweat and dirt, and both of them were exhausted, but still they continued.

"How goes her training?" asked Gajeel as he rushed Erza. Their swords clanked against each other.

"Well. She's amazingly strong for her diminutiveness. And because she's so small, she's quick as lightning. Give her a year or two and she'll be as good as any of us," replied Erza as she shoved Gajeel away and took up an offensive position.

"You think so?"

"I know so. I'm a good judge of fighting ability, if you recall. She's already tip top in the magic department, and if you match her abilities there with her speed and her ability to strike hard and fast, she's going to be a beast. I know I wouldn't want to take her on." Erza made her move, exquipping into her Titania armor as she ran at Gajeel. He barely ducked out of the way of her swing, then tucked and rolled to the left, thrusting his own sword at her from a kneeling position. Her armor was too strong and prevented any damage, but she stopped the fight anyway, smiling at Gajeel.

"Got you," he said, smiling back.

"For the first time in a long time," she replied. "Does this mean your mind is clear again?"

"Not by a long shot."

"Listen, let's be serious for a minute. You like this girl, right? I mean you're willing to marry her on less than a month's acquaintance. You're so worried about her you've gotten the dumb idea into your head that avoiding her will keep her safe. And you've been so distracted you haven't been able to get a single hit on me for the past two weeks."

"You and Mirajane both have been rather rude of late," said Gajeel testily.

"Only because you're being a stubborn fool."

"Mirajane used that exact insult. Are you two teaming up against me now?"

Erza chuckled. "Of course! It's what we do best. And we won't stop until you stop being a stubborn fool."

"Thank you for the warning, but I will handle this my own way. I beg you to leave my personal life alone. It is not really your concern.' Erza bowed her head deferentially in response. "Now, how are the security arrangements for the wedding coming along?"

"Well. I have drawn up a solid plan if you care to approve it."

"I do. Shall we?"

* * *

Levy and Mirajane walked down the hall on the way towards the greenhouses, chatting and laughing as Gajeel and Erza walked towards them on their way to the armory, where Erza had her security plans laid out. Erza was the first to speak.

"Tomorrow morning, Princess?" she asked.

"Yes, hopefully. My muscles should be ready again by then," replied Levy enthusiastically.

"All right, five sharp. Don't forget."

"I promise not to. See you then."

Levy grabbed Mirajane's arm and led her quickly down the hall.

"Which way?" she asked hurriedly as they came to the end of the hallway.

"To the left and through the doors," said Mirajane, steering Levy in the right direction. "Are you all right? We are moving rather quickly."

"I was going to tell him off, right then."

"And why did you run away before you could?"

"I chickened out, Mirajane. I have no idea why, but I suddenly got nervous and my brain decided it was best to run instead of fight."

Mirajane smiled. "Well I think it was cute. And maybe it will get him thinking. Maybe he will stop being an idiot," she said hopefully.

"Oh Mirajane, what am I going to do?"

"Well, for starters, you can tell me whether you prefer daisies, ranunculus, orchids or sunflowers."

"Oh orchids, definitely orchids. Can we go see the orchids?"

"Of course, dear. To the left there, by the water plants. Make sure you pick the ones you really like. We will be decking out the entire palace with them."

"This place will look so beautiful in a sea of white orchids. Can we do white?"

"Not a problem. And with the flowers chosen, we can design your dress to echo some of the petal shapes. And you will have a bouquet of orchids to match, and maybe one in your hair, tucked beneath the tiara…"

"Mirajane, calm down. You are beginning to hyperventilate."

"Forgive me, but I have always wanted to plan a wedding."

"You never married? I never did ask if you had a husband."

Mirajane blushed. "No husband," she said.

"A potential husband?" asked Levy suggestively, picking up on Mirajane's blush.

"He was once a potential husband," replied Mirajane, "but I have not seen him in a few years."

"Where is he?"

"He and his comrades went off on a quest for fortune three years ago. At first he sent letters, and once he even sent me this necklace." She pointed at her neck. "But for the last year and a half, I have not heard a word from him. For all I know he is dead halfway across the world."

"Mirajane, you cannot think that! You are not the type to lose hope!"

"And neither are you, dear. So buck up, and never lose your hope either!"

* * *

Yes, the story line with Mirajane and her mystery treasure-hunter (I am sure you all know who that is...think green hair), will continue, and yes it will eventually be resolved one way or another. And I promise that Lily is coming! Actually, if I can write enough, he may come into it tomorrow.

Till next time!


	15. Confrontation

Here's a little short chapter (well, not terribly short) before the big wedding. The wedding will be next chapter, and will be posted tonight.

* * *

"What do you mean my family is not coming to the wedding?" asked Levy as she and Lucy ate lunch. Lucy had come back to Oak that morning, full of stories and a thank you card for Levy from Wendy for the gift she had sent with Lucy.

"Your mother and brothers were in attendance at Wendy's party and told me as much. Her Majesty did not give a reason, but I think it has to do with safety. I have a feeling King Gajeel and your father decided it through the letters they have been exchanging."

"My family…where is that stupid king?" Levy stood, smoothing out the lines of her day gown.

"Levy, please refrain from doing something stupid," warned Lucy.

"I am done refraining, Lucy. He is no longer just avoiding me, but now he is controlling me. Keeping my family from me on the day of my wedding. I have had enough."

"Princess, I think it was a mutual decision. I doubt King Gajeel alone could keep your family from you. I doubt he would want to. Please," she said, chasing Levy as she stormed down the hall, "Just do not act rashly. Calm down."

"Lucy, let me do this. I have been needing the courage to confront him for a week, and now is the time." Levy stopped in front of Gajeel's door and rapped on it hard.

"Dear Christ, who the hell is it….oh." Gajeel stood in his doorway, hair disheveled, wearing only pants. He had obviously been awoken by Levy's knocking. She was about to blush and apologize, but then she remembered she was mad at him and stormed into his room past him. Gajeel stared at Lucy, who stayed in the hallway, hoping for an answer from her, but Lucy just bowed and ran off towards her own bedroom.

Sighing, Gajeel shut his bedroom door.

"What right do you have to tell my family they cannot attend my wedding?" asked Levy before Gajeel had turned around all the way to face her.

"What right have you to accuse me of such things?" he replied. "And to wake me after an hour's sleep?"

_An hour? But it is lunchtime. What was he doing all night?_ Levy walked up to him and stare dup into his eyes.

"My own mother made it quite clear that my family would not be attending the wedding. What possible person could stop them but you?"

Gajeel took a step towards her, making her crane her neck even farther upwards. "Did your mother say I was keeping them from you?"

"Not as such," admitted Levy. "But…"

"Then why have you accused me?"

"It was the only option that made any sense."

Gajeel snorted out a haughty laugh. "Had you stopped to think, you might have realized that maybe it was your father and mother who decided on their own not to come."

"Why would they do that?" she yelled, her temper rising.

"See for yourself." Gajeel motioned to his desk, where a small stack of letters was positioned. "Letters between your father and myself. I was supposed to keep them from you, but considering his recent decision to stay in Magnolia for the wedding, you should read them."

Despite his anger, Gajeel was enough of a gentleman to pull out the chair for Levy and push it in for her as she sat.

"Now if you will excuse me, I will go find some clothing."

Levy dug through the letters, finding the one with the oldest date scrawled at the top. She began to read:

_I write on behalf of my husband, King Makarov of Magnolia, who has taken ill this past week. While his illness is not life-threatening, he fears it will prevent him from attending the wedding of his daughter to yourself. He asks you to keep this information from her in case he recovers in time to attend._

_Porlyusica, Queen of Magnolia_.

"Father is ill?" Levy continued through the letters until she reached the newest letter, which had arrived at the palace at Oak only two days ago.

_Makarov thanks you for your concern, and wishes me to assure you he is on the mend. Unfortunately, with the marriage taking place at the end of this week, he will still be unable to attend, and is uncomfortable with sending me alone. If my daughter asks, which I am certain she will, cite danger on the roads as the reason we cannot attend. I do not wish her to fear for her father. Nor does her father wish for the wedding to be postponed to accommodate his health. The ceremony can be performed without his presence, and now more than ever, he fears the marriage cannot be delayed. As I am sure you have as well, we have received news of rebellions in Shirotsume and Hosenka. War is brewing and our countries must be united if we are both to survive it._

_Porlyusica, Queen of Magnolia._

"Are you satisfied?" asked Gajeel. Levy jumped; she had not noticed him standing behind her. All she could do was nod in embarrassment, not trusting herself to speak lest she actually apologize. She was still mad at him for avoiding her.

"So," began Gajeel, unsure of how to continue. Then an idea came to him. "How are the wedding plans unfolding?"

Levy was surprised he would speak so conversationally to her, but she responded anyway, intrigued. "Well. Everything is decided, and the staff will implement the decorations over the next two days before the wedding on Friday."

"I imagine it will look lovely," he choked out. It was too much. Levy burst out laughing.

"I was going to yell at you for avoiding me, but now that I have seen your _impressive_ talent for small talk, I no longer have the urge to." She giggled, putting her hand over her mouth.

"All the women around me are so damned rude lately." Levy opened her mouth to speak, but Gajeel cut her off. "And do not dare say that is because I deserve it. Trust me, I have heard that ad nauseum over the past two weeks."

"Then I do not dare," she said. "Now, please excuse me." Levy bowed politely and left in a much better mood than she had expected. Gajeel was left completely bewildered.

"Women are so confusing," he sighed.

* * *

The day of the wedding arrived. Levy and Gajeel had seen little of each other, just as before, but at least when they passed each other in the hall, they said hello. And now they were about to be married.

Levy had of course chosen Lucy to stand up as Maiden of Honor, and Mirajane had spent all morning helping them into their gowns and doing their makeup. Gajeel had asked a good friend of his, and one of Erza's soldiers, to be best man, a person Levy had yet to meet. He was called Pantherlily apparently, and was an Exceed, which Levy was excited about. Natsu and Wendy had two Exceeds, Happy and Charle, and they had always been a lot of fun. She wondered, though, how a tiny little Exceed would be able to a soldier, though.

When Mirajane placed the final white orchid into Levy's hair, tucking it beneath her platinum tiara studded with a thousand tiny diamonds, she and Lucy stood back to admire. Levy truly did look gorgeous, and the short hair fit her thin face perfectly. The wedding gown was pure white with a bustier top woven with lace and a long trailing skirt that shimmered with hand sewn crystalline beads. Her shoes, though hidden by the hem of the gown, were little masterpieces of beadwork as well. Around her neck, Levy wore a platinum necklace with a series of shallow trillion diamonds, which curved down the line of her collar bone and met at a deep-cut heart-shaped diamond in the center. She was dressed as a traditional Magnolia bride. By the end of the day, she would appear as a traditional Oak bride. The piercings her King wore were not just personal preference, though many of them were, but some of them were traditional piercings of rank within the kingdom. Of the many he had, only four were due to tradition; the rest were because he liked them.

They piercings were one of the things Levy was nervous about. During their wedding, she was to have both of her ears and her upper cheeks, only an inch and a half below her eyes, pierced. Her ears were not the source of worry; she was not sure how she felt about long hollow needles that close to her eyes. She knew she would bear it, though, for it could not be any more painful than slitting her own wrists had been.

"Now my dear," said Mirajane, "are you ready?"

"Yes."

Mirajane nodded and shooed Lucy out to go join the others standing in the throne room, where the ceremony was to take place.

"When you are ready, my dear," said Mirajane, "Erza will escort you in to the throne room, and you will walk the path alone and meet our King before Oak's Archimage. Then the ceremony begins. You have studied the ceremony, have you not?"

"I have. I know what to do and what to expect," replied Levy. "But that does not quell my nerves any."

"Nor should it. I think it best to go into something new nervous. Because when it turns out well in the end, you can only be happy."

"What a poetic way to think of things. Thank you, Mirajane. For everything. You have been so kind to me and your advice has been so wonderful."

"And I hope it shall continue to be so. Come to me when you need _anything_." Mirajane hugged Levy and left for the throne room, to stand beside Lucy. Then Erza peeked her head inside the door. She had exquipped into a suitable outfit for attending a wedding, though the effect was ruined by the armor she wore over it.

"Princess, are you ready?

"I am. Are you to be my bodyguard from here to the throne room?"

"Indeed I am. Shall we?"

Levy nodded. Then she swallowed. There was a giant lump in her throat.

* * *

Yay, the wedding is next! I am taking some liberties with the wedding, making ti a mixture of a traditional style wedding (in Europe and the Americas anyway) and my own ideas, which do not really belong to any specific culture. I hope it all makes sense. I will post it as soon as I am done writing it.

Till next time!


	16. Wedding

Here's the wedding!

WARNING TO ALL: Next chapter (after this one, not the one below) will contain a lemon, and will force a rating change. If that offend you, please skip that chapter. It will contain nothing pivotal to the story and can be skipped without missing anything terribly important.

You have been warned...

* * *

Erza led Levy into the throne room, then closed the heavy doors behind them. Erza remained at her post at the door and Levy began her walk down the long aisle.

Had circumstances been different, each side of the aisle would have been full of people, various aristocrats and family members, as well as celebrity mages and high-ranking soldiers. But now there was no one; there were only garlands of lace and a thousand white orchids and sparkling crystals. Levy found she was too nervous to even care. Her hands were shaking around the bouquet of orchids she held and her knees were rattling beneath her gown.

She kept her head bowed, not daring to look at anything but the golden carpet beneath her feet. She walked in silence, a million thoughts screaming through her mind, all her worries and hopes.

And then she was at the altar. And then she looked up.

Pantherlily stood at attention in his full military regalia. He was massive, both taller and bulkier than Gajeel. And of course, he was a cat, as all Exceeds were, though he was all black, except for his muzzle, which was pure white. There was a large crescent-shaped scar beneath his eye. And he was beaming at Levy as if he was a proud older brother.

And then there was Gajeel. His hair had been tied back, his many piercings polished. He, like Pantherlily, wore full military regalia, though his was accompanied by a long cape, which trailed to the floor and clasped at his left shoulder beneath a shining signet with his family's coat of arms on it. At that moment, he was the handsomest man Levy had ever seen. And all her fears just melted away.

She met him with a radiant smile that took his breath away.

The Archimage began the ceremony, reading the marriage rites and passages from Oak's Codex. At the proper time, he stepped between them and dipped his fingers into the small glass bottle he held, covering his first two fingertips with rose oil. First he anointed Levy's forehead with the shape of a spiral and then drew down the line of her nose. Then he moved to Gajeel and anointed his forehead with the shape of a star, and drew down the line of his nose.

The Archimage read another rite from the Codex and turned back towards his pulpit. Using his magic, he lit the candle that stood there in its gleaming platinum holder. From a small pouch within his robe, he produced the piercing implement, a fourteen gauge hollow needle, which he plunged into the candle flame to sterilize it.

Levy felt her heart begin to pound; she felt the smile on her face begin to fall. Then she felt a hand brush against hers.

Gajeel nodded to her encouragingly. Even though he did not go so far as to smile or to say anything, that little nod made her feel one hundred percent better.

"Your Highness," said the Archimage, "if you would step this way." He held out a hand and helped Levy up a step to be closer to the pulpit. "With this needle, I pierce your ears, as a symbol of womanhood held sacred in Oak for millennia."

The Archimage nodded and Levy brushed aside her veil, allowing him access to her left ear. She felt his fingers close around her earlobe and her breath caught in her throat. Then it was over. She felt a vague pain that had happened too quickly for her to really notice, and then the warmth of all her blood rushing to that spot. She felt the Archimage remove the needle and thread the earring through the hole.

Levy smiled triumphantly at Gajeel, who finally cracked a small smile of his own. The Archimage continued with the ceremony and pierced her right ear as well.

"With this needle," said the Archimage, "I pierce your cheeks as a symbol of commitment, held sacred in Oak for millennia."

Again Levy's breath started to catch in her throat. The Archimage sterilized a new needle, this one slightly different in shape and took a pinch of her skin between his fingers, pulling it away from her bone a little bit. This time, Levy felt the needle go in. She felt it drag through the skin of her cheek and pierce through her skin again as it came out. The Archimage loaded the metal bar of the piercing into the hollow needle and pulled it through her cheek to set the piercing in place. He then screwed in the two gemstones onto either end of the bar, fixing it permanently to her cheek. With a white cloth, he wiped away the drop of blood that had blossomed onto her suddenly pale skin. She stopped paying attention as the ache spread across her face, and did not notice the Archimage piercing her other cheek until he was already wiping away the blood.

Gajeel took her hands then, as per the ceremony, and squeezed them tightly, proud that she had not shed a tear through the ordeal. She smiled weakly at him.

The Archimage removed another needle from his pouch and sterilized it. For a frightening moment, Levy thought she had more pain coming, but the Archimage moved to Gajeel to complete his half of the ritual. Gajeel already had his 'symbol of manhood', which was the multiple piercings up and down his arms. The three studs above each eye was his symbol of royalty, and the studs in his ears symbolized each rank he had achieved in the military. But he was missing the piercings Levy had just received, those symbolizing his commitment to the marriage. Levy was jealous when it was over that Gajeel smiled all the way through the process.

The Archimage finished the ceremony from behind his pulpit. As he pronounced them 'man and wife' Lucy stepped forward and pulled back Levy's veil.

"You may now kiss the bride," said the Archimage.

Levy had forgotten about this part. And apparently so had Gajeel. Pantherlily nudged Gajeel, which from a cat Pantherlily's size looked more like a shove; at the same time, Lucy tapped Levy's shoulder, which snapped her back to reality.

Gajeel and Levy stepped towards each other, their hands still interlocked. She stepped up on her tip toes, and he craned his neck downwards until their faces were only a few centimeters apart.

Then they closed their eyes.

Then they kissed.

It was the single greatest sensation Levy had ever felt, the feel of Gajeel's lips against hers. Her whole face burned like fire as the blush made her cheeks glow. His lips were rough, but his kiss was gentle, more so than she ever would have suspected. When they pulled away from each other, she was gratified to see that his face too had turned red.

"May the blessings of God be upon you," said the Archimage, breaking the spell the kiss had cast on them.

Gajeel and Levy, followed by Pantherlily, Mirajane and Lucy, walked back up the aisle and out of the throne room. Lucy, Mirajane and Pantherlily hugged Levy, the latter scooping her up into a giant cat-hug. Lucy shook Gajeel's hand, and Pantherlily clapped him hard on the back. Mirajane hugged Gajeel tightly, and he was in a good enough mood to reciprocate it.

"I am so happy for you Levy," said Lucy, hugging her again.

"So am I," replied Levy. She turned to Gajeel and laughed as she saw Pantherlily ruffling his hair, which was annoying the hell out of Gajeel. But their moment was soon interrupted.

"Your Majesty!" came a voice from down the hall. There were loud footsteps, and then a soldier came into view. "Your Majesty," he said again, out of breath. "My King, come quickly. There is news from Hosenka."

Gajeel nodded. "Lily, Erza, come with me. Mirajane, get the Princess back to her bedroom and stay there until I return."

Mirajane took Levy's arm and led her away in a haze of confusion, Lucy hurrying behind them. "Come, write to your parents, _My Queen_," she emphasized for Gajeel's benefit. "It will keep your mind occupied."

* * *

Gajeel and his military entourage made their way to the war room. On a large table in the center of the room, a map of all Fiore was laid out; little ceramic figurines stood atop it, symbolizing the positions of armies and garrisons based on the intelligence Oak's spies continually fed the palace.

"What's happened?" asked Erza, stepping up to the map. Her eyes went instantly to Hosenka's location. Instead of the green figurines which should have symbolized Hosenka's armies, the country's capital was blocked out by the red figurines of Oshibana, who had become more aggressive towards their neighbors in recent months. No one had expected them to make a move so quickly.

"Erza," said Gajeel, "organize your elite team. Oshibana is weak in the magical department, so a few talented mages should be able to take out their troops. Agreed?"

"We'll get it done," she agreed. "Lily, get your men too. I know they've been bored on border-watch."

"Yes Ma'am." Pantherlily shrunk to the size of a normal Exceed and used his Aera technique so he could fly.

"Can I assume there is no troop movement towards Oak or magnolia?" asked Gajeel to the soldier that had run to him at the throne room.

"Correct Your Majesty. As far as our network of spies can tell, the attack was limited to Hosenka. We understand that Magnolia is also sending in relief troops. Shirotsume is not, however, as they have also been recently threatened."

"Your task then is to send our regimental troops to Shirotsume. Organize three or four battalions and take command."

"Command, Your Majesty? Of that many men?"

"You have more than earned it with your service throughout the years, Hughes. Get to it. By the time you are prepared, a letter will be drafted for you to carry with you."

Hughes left and Gajeel followed him out into the hall. He decided it was best to take Mirajane off the alert, and so first went to Levy's bedroom.

"Your Majesty?" asked Mirajane as he entered.

"Hosenka has been attacked. For now, there is no other troop movement," he said quickly, seeing Levy's reaction. "We have sent aid and will do all we can in the coming months to ensure our own borders are safe. Oak's and Magnolia's."

"If I can do anything…" said Levy.

"For now, just stay safe. If we have to take in refugees, I will come to you. Now I must go, however. I anticipate being very busy over the next month, so I beg your forgiveness if I am inattentive," he said to Levy. She smiled encouragingly and he was gone.

* * *

Gajeel's estimation had been correct. He had been so busy for the past month coordinating armies and relief efforts, while trying to keep his own people happy and safe that his face was becoming gaunt with stress. Levy, who only saw him at meals, and even then at only _some_ of the meals, could only watch from afar.

After a few nights she had half expected him to come to her bed, if not because he wanted to, then at least for the stress relief. But he had not. After two weeks she began to worry that there was some other reason he had not come to her. They were no longer in a fight with each other, and since he had blushed when they kissed at their wedding, she had hoped there was some physical attraction there. She knew for certain there was attraction on her part.

After a month and no sign of him, not even a kiss in passing, Levy decided to take matters into her own hands. With Mirajane's and Lucy's encouragement, Levy made her way from her own bedroom to Gajeel's and knocked softly on his door.

"Enter," came his gruff voice from inside. Hesitantly, Levy did just that.

"Oh," said Gajeel, looking up. "You were not who I was expecting. Is something wrong?"

"Oh, if you are waiting on someone, I can leave," offered Levy.

"No, no, not a person or anything. Sometimes I receive news this late, that is all."

"Oh, I see. Speaking of, how goes the war effort?"

"Well, though I would hardly call this a war. Hosenka is back under the command of its original government, with our troops and Magnolia's troops in for support. And no move has been made to take over Shirotsume, so all seems to be going as planned."

"That is a relief. But you still look so stressed," said Levy, moving closer to him. "Is something else weighing down on your nerves?"

"I..what do you mean? I am perfectly fine," he replied defensively.

"Then why have we not kissed since our wedding? Do you dislike me so much, the thought of it keeps you from even kissing my cheek?"

Gajeel stood, completely taken aback. "Dislike you? Why would you…"

"Is it because of my hair? Is it because I look like a boy now?"

"A boy? You could _never_ be mistaken for a boy. And why would I dislike you? We have had our differences, certainly, and we have yelled at each other more than once, but if I really hated you, do you think I would have agreed to the marriage in the first place? My love of my country runs deep, but not so deeply that I would spend my life with a woman I hate."

Despite being bolstered somewhat by that confession, Levy was still distraught. "Then why? Why do you still avoid me? At least I can offer you some relief to your stress, if I cannot mean more than that."

"Stress relief…what are you…oh." Suddenly it clicked. "Oh, I see. I…I had not thought…"

"I understand. You never thought of me in that way, so it never occurred to you that I would want you in that way."

Gajeel turned a deep shade of crimson at that. "Wha…"

And that was when she dropped all further pretenses. Her nightgown hit the floor at her ankles.

* * *

Remember folks, next chapter contains some citrus. Read or skip at your own risk.

Till next time!


	17. Entwined

Hmmm...something smells an awful lot like lemons...is someone making lemonade?

You have been warned.

* * *

Before him stood a nude goddess. Her cheeks were pink with the soft blush of embarrassment, her hands clasped unsurely in front of her belly.

Gajeel followed her curves up, taking in her strong hips, wanting to take them in his grasp and hold her to him. He could not help but linger on her sex, a tuft of blue hair barely covering her slit. He felt himself harden and quickly moved his eyes upwards. He noted the thinness of her waist, how both his hands could make a complete circle around it. His gaze continued to her breasts, perky and pink-nippled and exactly the size he preferred. He wondered absently if they would fit in his palms, how her nipples would feel between his fingers.

And that was the end of him; he was completely stiff, his member aching inside his pants. He was suddenly thankful his long robe was covering that.

But no, he had to stay in control. Levy had been almost killed in his own palace. She had suffered more than she had been happy in this place. He knew he did not deserve her.

Levy smiled sadly at Gajeel.

"So, you do not like me after all." She sighed softly and bent down, sliding back into her gown.

"What are you talking about?" asked Gajeel.

"I stood naked before you and you had no reaction. Obviously it is as I thought: I am not appealing to you."

_No reaction? Is she kidding? A blind man would have a reaction to that._

"Levy…"

"No," she said, ignoring the fact that he had used her first name for the first time, "it is all right. I should have expected as much, but…" She softly began to cry.

"Levy, listen to me. I just thought that, because of what happened with Jose, because I could not protect you, that I did not deserve you."

"Are you Jose?"

"Excuse me? No, of course not!" He looked affronted.

"Exactly. You are my husband. You are someone I trust," she said between sobs, "and someone I love. I hoped we might…"

Gajeel did not need another word of encouragement. In three steps, he closed the distance between the, taking her shoulders in his hands, slipping them out of her gossamer gown once more.

"If you are doing this to stop me crying…"

Gajeel slammed his lips against hers, forcing them open with his tongue. Levy gasped as her tongue met the piercing on his, caught unaware by the sudden force of the kiss. Soon, she gave in, putting her own power behind her lips and tongue, fighting back against his attack.

A soft growl escaped Gajeel's throat as his arousal grew more insistent. He would have to have her soon or he might explode.

Gajeel broke their kiss and pushed Levy down onto the bed. He stood before her and undressed himself as she recovered from the waves of passion already wracking her body. She blushed as he pulled away his robes, leaving him shirtless, muscles gleaming. The blush deepened and her eyes widened when she saw the bulge in his pants.

_Oh God_, she thought. _Maybe he likes me after all._

Gajeel, pants still on, though now unbuttoned, climbed onto the bed on all fours, holding himself up above her. Then, holding propping himself up with one elbow, he grabbed hold of Levy's right breast massaging the soft skin in his hand. Levy turned her head away and moaned almost imperceptibly, even to Gajeel's sensitive ears, as she held her eyes tight shut. She felt him pinch her nipple between his fingers and felt his mouth close around the crest of her left breast. His tongue flicked over her nipple, drawing circles around it; his teeth lightly kneaded her flesh.

Her moans became louder as her pleasure intensified; her blush grew deeper as the sucking noises met her ears.

_This is too much_, she thought. Her body tensed.

"Relax," whispered Gajeel, staring into her eyes. She nodded.

He moved from her breast, licking down the lines of her stomach to her inner thigh. He sucked the flesh there, marking her bright red only centimeters from her glistening sex. Gajeel could smell her need, her absolute desire for him. His tongue continued its journey and found her womanhood. He licked her outer folds, teasing her for a moment only, before he spread her open with his fingers, eliciting a cry of pleasure from her throat.

She was beautiful, and already so wet. His mouth found her clitoris and closed on it, sucking and biting as Levy continued to call out. Her thighs began to shake.

Gajeel moved down, his tongue exploring every bit of her sex before plunging inside her.

"Gajeel," she panted. "Gajeel, stop teasing me."

Gajeel smiled devilishly. He knew what she wanted. He crawled up again, placing his face in front of hers.

"You will have to take it if you want it," he whispered.

Levy pushed herself up, nipping playfully at his chin as she reached for his pants. She slid them down and let him kick them off the rest of the way before freeing him from his undergarments.

"Oh," said Levy with an intake of breath as she took in the sight of his engorged member. "Will that even…"

"Yes it will," he whispered. Gajeel took his member in his hand and rubbed the tip of it against her opening, wetting it with her fluids.

"Relax and the pain will be less," he said.

Levy doubted anything would keep her from hurting, but she relaxed again, settling down against the pillows.

After a few more strokes, Gajeel pushed himself inside her quickly, burying his entire length inside her warmth. Levy cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain and surprise; she grabbed at Gajeel's back, latching on to him as she panted over his shoulder.

"Can I move now?" he asked.

"Mmm…" came her only reply.

Slowly, Gajeel began to work in and out of her, nearly pulling out before plunging all the way back in. he could smell her blood, and though he had expected it, he was happy to know he was her first.

As her moans turned to pure pleasure, her pain a distant memory, Gajeel sped up his movements, thrusting his length into her again and again, her walls clenching around him uncontrollably. Both of them could only moan and pant; neither had the breath to call each others' name.

Gajeel's hands closed on her backside, pulling her tight against him as he felt his orgasm coming. He quickened his pace again, plowing into her as she shrieked in bliss as her own body orgasmed. Gajeel came a moment later, letting it spill out inside her as he collapsed against her, head to her breast.

After a few minutes, their breathing had calmed to a manageable level, and their sweat had begun to cool on their skin. Gajeel picked himself up off of her and pulled out of her gingerly, the both of them being still so tender.

"You were right," said Gajeel suddenly. "I guess I do not like you."

Levy made a little noise at that, but then saw his cheeky grin. She smacked him squarely in the shoulder.

"So what will you do to me if you ever end up liking me?" she asked smugly.

"You will have to make me like you to find that out," he replied, and he kissed her, softly this time, nipping at her bottom lip. "I suppose you will want a bath?"

"Yes, I think that would be best." She blushed again.

"Then mine is open to you."

Levy climbed off the bed, covering herself self consciously, picking up her gown as she made her way to the bathroom.

"And Levy," said Gajeel. "When you are finished, come back to bed."

Levy nodded, and tried, but failed miserably to hide the huge grin that was forming on her face.

* * *

So that was my first attempt at writing anything sexy. I hope it was all right. I may or may not include more citrus-y chapters in the future, but the rating is now irrevocably M. And worry not, I will always warn you before there is going to be some lemony or limey content, so those of you who hate it will always be able to avoid it.

Till next time!


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